Rajasthan plans on ways to negate effect of Centre's farm laws in state

Jaipur, Oct 13: The Rajasthan government has examined various possible ways to negate the effects of the three recently-enacted central farm laws in the state.

According to officials, the government mulled over the ways and means to shield the state farmers from the effects of the central laws during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

"The Cabinet held discussions and examined what could be done to negate the efforts of the laws in the interest of the farmers in the state," they said.

While speaking at farmers' meeting in Jaipur on Saturday, the chief minister had hinted at calling an assembly session on this issue. Congress president Sonia Gandhi had asked Congress-ruled states to explore the possibility of passing laws to negate the effects of the three farm laws.

The three farm laws recently enacted by the Centre are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

Farmers along with the opposition-ruled states have been expressing apprehension that the new laws will destroy the minimum support price mechanism, end Agricultural Produce Market Committees and allow corporates to arm-twist them.

The Union government, however, has been maintaining that these laws will raise farmers' incomes, free them from the clutches of the middleman and usher in new technology in farming.