Context :

BJP plans to step up outreach on new laws / Hindustan Times – 28 Nov 2020

Extract :

Ø The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to step up its drive to reach out to farmers across the country in a bid to dispel concerns about the newly enacted farm laws even as protests against the legislations reached the Capital on Friday, a person familiar with the matter said.

Ø The party carried out a 15-day campaign wherein senior leaders, ministers, MPs and party functionaries reached out to farmers explaining the intricacies of the new laws in September, following Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s instructions to BJP cadres to spread awareness.

Ø “The Prime Minister urged BJP workers to reach out to farmers on the ground and explain the importance of the laws.

This exercise was carried out across the country...and farmers were explained the benefits they stand to get from the new laws

However, given the Opposition’s attempt to mislead the farmers, this exercise will be renewed,” said another party functionary aware of the details

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Dear Shri Tomarji ,

[ nstomaroffice@gmail.com / ns.tomar@sansad.nic.in ],

Thank you for inviting farmers for frank discussions, almost 2 months ago

Source :

We are ready to talk to farmers : Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar / Business Line – 24 Sept 2020

Quotes :

Ø “ If anyone has any doubts, and I want to appeal to all farmer organizations, they are welcome to have a frank discussion with us any time of the day. We are ready even at midnight to address the farmers’ concerns “, said Tomar

The farmer was forced to sell in the mandis…..He had to bring his produce to

the mandi where the cropwas auctioned and he was forced to sell for fear of

transporting the produce back in case he is not able to dispose of it in the

mandi “

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I wish you all success in your discussions ( scheduled for 03 Dec ) with the farmers and for reaching an amicable COMPROMISE SOLUTION, in the spirit of “ Give and Take “

What you can hope to get by way of “ Take “ is for the farmers to peacefully return to their farms – and give you a solemn / documented promise to stop stubble burning

As far as the “ Give “ part is concerned , I urge you to refer to my following earlier e mail :

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Selling Farm Laws before selling Farm Crops ……………..[ 24 Sept 2020 ]

Extract :

Ø It is high time, the Central Government, Agro-processing Companies and Agro-business Start-ups,

# Launch a massive campaign to EDUCATE the farmers by sharing with

them the following examples of how TECHNOLOGICAL

INPUTS are revolutionizing farms in the developed countries and

# Raising the farmer’s income

Ø I am sure those farmer organizations would send their delegates to meet

you. When they do, I request you to consider telling them following :

# We will incentivize our 75 Agriculture Universities and 700 + Agriculture

Colleges , to set up on their premises,

-TECH INNOVATION CENTRES,

which will offer subjects on “NEW AGRI-TECH“, collaborate with Agri- Tech Companies / Universities around the World and train our farmers

# We will incentivize these foreign AGRI-TECH companies to set up

“ PROTOTYPE “ operations in India for DEMO purposes only

We will offer them free land/electricity + expenses incurred in training

Indian Farmers

There will be one such demo-center in each of our 718 districts

# We will urge companies entering into CONTRACT FARMING agreements

with a farmer, to construct on the farm premises of that farmer

GRAIN STORAGE SILOS / COLD STORAGE ROOMS ,

to enable a farmer to store his produce for a longer period, without

perishing under our harsh climate.

We will allow the concerned companies to set off expenses incurred in

constructing these facilities towards their CSR obligations

Alternatively, we will consider use of already announced Agri Fund of Rs1

LakhxCrore , for this purpose

We have also provided Rs 700 crore for setting up COLD CHAIN across

the country

# As it is, farm income is already exempt from Income Tax.

To enable rapid adoption of CONTRACT FARMING, we will exempt the

“Profit “ that a Company will make by “ Value Added through

Processing “ ,of farm produce purchased by entering into CONTRACT

FARMING

This provision will be for 5 years and will encourage thousands of

Companies to enter into CONTRACT FARMING agreements with farmers

This will expand the market and bring in COMPETITION among these

Corporate Buyers, leading to higher prices for the farmers

# On the existing Govt portal ( e-NAM ) , we will introduce a section called

CONTRACT FARMING ,

where the farmers desirous of entering into contract farming agreements,

will submit their full details

( Name / Farm Size / Location of farm / main crops / past yields per acre

/ no of workers / family members engaged / existing loan liabilities /

water availability etc )

Companies on look out for CONTRACT FARMING can search this database

( of course , after due registration with full details of the Company ) and

shortlist / select potential farmers and send them their “ Purchase

Proposal “ ( by filling in an Online Standard Form ).

Central Government would have full access to these contracts entered

Online between the parties and ensure that no contract is entered

into below the MSP for the concerned crop

No one else can see these contracts but the parties concerned would

have a provision to EDIT these

This will enable the Govt to know the INPUT COST for the “ Contracting

Company “ , and link it with the

" Profit made through Processing Value addition “,

in order to grant tax exemption described earlier

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Dear Shri Tomarji,

Various Farmers Unions have expressed following fears in respect of the FARM LAWS just passed :

Ø The Contract Farming law will make them vulnerable to exploitation by Corporations

Ø If Contract Farming picks up in a BIG WAY, Govt may stop buying at MSP – might even scrap MSP

Now, if the CONTRACT FARMING Act carries a clause that no contract can be valid / legal ( not even allowed to be registered on e-NAM portal ) if it is below the MSP ( relevant to the contracted crop ), then the farmers fears will get satisfactorily addressed

On top of this, you may want to give assurance following assurance to the farmers :

Ø For the crops which are currently not covered by MSP, we will, in consultation with the Farmers’ Unions , come up with MSPs in each case ( for CONTRACT FARMING only ) , over the next 5 years. Such MSPs will be 100 % above the COST of PRODUCTION

Ø The INPUT COSTS ( for each such crop ) will get determined by AI technology as described at :