Staying the course on the new farm laws presents India with a golden opportunity to be the global agricultural powerhouse of the 21st century.
It is a matter of concern that till now, the Punjab government has not taken any concrete steps to stop the inflow of paddy from other states.
The uneasiness is about the adverse impact of the farm laws on the livelihood prospects of the farmers amid the agrarian crisis in India.
Unchecked corporate power and increasing political influence have left farmers to operate under the push ‘get big or get out’ and often driven abuse of farmers’ rights.
The new Bills may initially help some medium and large farmers but will help the private sector even more. The small farmers are outside the reach of the market today and will continue to suffer as before.
The minimum support price for crop cannot be fixed on the basis of production cost. They are driven by demand and supply.
It is also the Congress’s way of telling voters that it can help replicate a similar arrangement in New Delhi in 2019 as well.