Describing the agriculture sector as the backbone of the Indian economy, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister Modi the focus will be on doubling farmer’s income by 2022. He explained that the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act 2020 and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities Amendment Act 2020 are the biggest agricultural reforms in the country so far. The reforms will provide farmers market freedom, encourage entrepreneurship, access to technology and they will transform agriculture.
The Minister also outlined the various measures and reforms undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare during the last six years. He said that Indian agriculture has come a long way from food scarcity to food surplus. The Government therefore had realised that pro farmers reforms were essential to uplift the sector i.e. the backbone of the economy. Every effort is being made to create an eco system of farmer friendly policies to see that the sector goes from strength to strength.
Further, the Minister reiterated that reforms have been made in the interest of farmers and will bring about a new era in Indian agriculture. The Government has had many rounds of talks with farmer unions and is willing to continue the dialogue on contentious issues, clause by clause, with an open mind.