Union Cabinet completes formalities to repeal the three Farm Laws; approves extension of PMGKAY for another four months

Union Cabinet has completed the formalities to repeal the three Farm Laws. The three farm laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020, Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020. The bills were passed by Parliament during the monsoon session last year.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi after the cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, it will be the government's priority to take back these three laws.

Earlier, while addressing the nation on November 19, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the Government has decided to repeal all three farm laws.

Besides, the Union Cabinet has also approved the extension of Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) for another four months.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi after the cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said, the 5th Phase of this scheme has been extended from December 2021 till March 2022. He said, the food grain under this phase will entail an estimated additional food subsidy of over Rs 53,344 crore.

The Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana is a food security welfare scheme that was envisaged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide assistance and help mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19. Under the scheme food grain at five kilograms per person per month is free of cost to all beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act.