Centre to press for passage of two agriculture bills in Lok Sabha

New Delhi: The Central government will move the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 as well as the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 in the Lok Sabha for their passage later on Thursday. Both the bills were introduced in the Lok Sabha on day one of the Monsoon session on Monday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will move the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020.

The bill will replace the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020 promulgated by the President on June 5 this year. In the new ecosystem, farmers and traders as per the government will enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of their produce which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade and commerce.

The farmers' produce will go outside the physical premises of the markets or deemed markets notified under various state agricultural produce market legislations to provide a facilitative framework for electronic trading.

Tomar will also move the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 for its passage replacing the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 promulgated by the President on June 5 this year.

Through the bill, the Agriculture Minister aims at providing a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers.

This move targets farm services and sale of future farming produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 which provides relaxation and amendment of provisions of certain Acts.

The Minister will also explain the reasons for immediate legislation by promulgation of the Taxation and other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020.

Sitharaman will also move the Appropriation Bill, 2020 for introduction and consideration to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2020-2021.