Landmark agri reform bills to free farmers from clutches of middlemen: Shah

In a series of tweets in Hindi, Shah said the country is proud of its hardworking farmers, who shoulder the creation of the nation''s wealth and prosperity.

He said in the form of the Modi government, for the first time, there is a government at the Centre which is working day and night towards the empowerment of farmers and the passage of the landmark agricultural reform bills in the Lok Sabha on Thursday is an "unprecedented step" in this direction.

"These path-breaking legislations of the Modi government will transform the agriculture sector, set farmers free from the clutches of middlemen and help them overcome other obstacles. These bills will provide farmers with new avenues to sell their produce, which will increase their income," Shah said.

The home minister said these historic and important agricultural reforms of the Modi government will bring a positive transformation in the lives of farmers and make them self-reliant.

"I convey my heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shri Narendra Singh Tomar on the passage of these bills," he said.

The Lok Sabha passed the Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 on Thursday.

The Farmers'' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide for the creation of an ecosystem, where farmers and traders enjoy the freedom of choice relating to sale and purchase of the farmers'' produce, which facilitates remunerative prices through competitive alternative trading channels to promote efficient, transparent and barrier-free inter-state and intra-state trade.

The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 seeks to provide for a national framework on farming agreements that protects and empowers farmers to engage with agri-business firms, processors, wholesalers, exporters or large retailers for farm services and the sale of future farm produce at a mutually agreed remunerative price framework in a fair and transparent manner and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.