drskmukherjee

My previous post deliberated upon the aspects of polity and the constitutional validity of the Ordinance to pass the Farm Bills. In this post, I will discuss the economic aspects related to the bills and what measures are possible for the government to initiate amendments wherever needed to quell the logjam and thereby clear the doubts and worries of the farmers. I personally feel that Bills may stand out well with certain necessary amendments to augment the much needed agriculture reform. It is necessary to understand the open vistas of agriculture activities. Farm activity does not only include agriculture (crop production). It also includes seed development, plantation, animal farming and animal husbandry (milk, meat, egg etc), forestry, logging, fishing, veterinary facilities including sectors involving all other agriculture related support entities like fertilizer, farm equipments, agro-processing industries, wholesale and retail trading, storage, communication, transportation, lo...

The farmers' group challenged in Supreme Court three farm laws passed by the government through Ordinance. The Bills are  1. Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 2. Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and  3. Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. These laws came into being from September 27 after President Ram Nath Kovind’s assent. The recourse to passing of bills through Ordinance (power with the centre under Article 123 and power with the states under Article 213) is taken when the Parliament is not in session and if the government feels that it is of utmost importance to have certain bills passed. The bill thus passed should be subsequently passed in the next session of parliament within 6 weeks. Therefore the farm bills brought through Ordinance on 5th June, 2020 were passed by parliament in the Monsoon Session on 20th September, 2020 and on 27th September by the Preside...