GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that the new farm laws will usher in development of the small and marginal farmers in the country. Replying today in Rajya Sabha to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, Mr. Modi said, the farm laws aim at fulfilling the aspirations of over 12 crore small and marginal farmers. Highlighting series of reforms and schemes introduced by the Centre, he said, the NDA Government remains committed to its promise of empowering the poor and farmers.
Mr. Modi said, by increasing the ambit of Fasal Bima Yojana in 2014, claims worth 90 thousand crore rupees have been settled benefitting small farmers in the country. He mentioned that nearly one lakh 15 thousand crore rupees have been directly transferred into the accounts of the farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme.
The Prime Minister said that the Kisan Rail and Kisan Udan Scheme have been introduced by the government to help farmers reach out to larger and more profitable markets. Taking a sharp jibe at the Opposition’s demand of withdrawing the farm laws, Mr. Modi emphatically asserted that hindrances never help achieve development. He underscored that in the entire discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, none of the Opposition members talked about the reason for the farmers’ agitation.
Mr. Modi said that not only the NDA Government but also the earlier regimes have time and again advocated for reforms in the agri sector. Quoting former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s comment about the need for reforms in the field of agriculture, the Prime Minister added that the complete U-turn of the Opposition parties on their approach towards reforms appears merely for political mileage.
He also informed that many State Governments have already implemented similar agri reforms under their administration. Citing the example of cooperative dairy farms, Mr. Modi said that the overwhelming success story of dairy production in the country is only because of the freedom which it enjoys in terms of sale of its produce. He advocated for similar freedom for the farmers in the country which, he said, is being guaranteed under the provisions of the new farm laws.
The Prime Minister said, it is natural to witness differences whenever some revolutionary reform is introduced. Referring to similar agitations when Green Revolution was implemented in the country, he thanked the undeterred belief of the former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shashtri which, he said, led to the successful implementation of the game changing reforms.
