KOLKATA: A delegation of West Bengal BJP leaders on Wednesday met Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar requesting him to take measures so that farmers of the state get the benefits of the agriculture reform bills.
The ruling Trinamool Congress is misguiding people on the three bills passed by Parliament to empower farmers, the BJP claimed in a memorandum submitted to the governor.
The TMC has attacked the BJP-led central government over the passage of the farm sector reform bills, alleging that the "anti-farmer" legislations will help big corporates and lead to food crisis in the country.
Referring to the rise in potato prices in the state, the BJPs memorandum claimed that the ruling party's goons are controlling the middlemen and "cheating" the farmers of their earnings.
"The farmers in West Bengal are in dire state. More than 90 per cent of them are in the category of small farmers and their lives are in the mercy of the middlemen regime controlled by the goons of the ruling party."
"While such degree of cheating of farmers is being allowed in the state, the ruling party led by the Chief Minister is engaged in blatant dis-information tactics in regards to the Acts," the memorandum read.
The BJP delegation also alleged that the state government has not implemented central programmes beneficial to farmers only because the Direct Benefit Transfer' scheme will not allow the ruling party to get cut money or illegal commission.
In such a situation, the memorandum urged the governor to take appropriate strong measures so that the rightful benefit to the poor people are not denied and the rule of law is enforced in the state".
The BJP leaders were talking about three bills - the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill - which were passed by Parliament.
The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 seeks to provide freedom to farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country.
The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, provides 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.
The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which seeks to remove cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities is aimed at eliminating fears of private investors of excessive regulatory interference in their business operations.