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Govt invites farmers for talks on Dec 30

Govt invites farmers for talks on Dec 30
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New Delhi: With the farmers' protest entering the second month, the government on Monday invited 40 protesting unions for the next round of talks on December 30 on all relevant issues to find a "logical solution" to the current impasse over the farm laws.

The government's invite followed a proposal made by unions last week to hold the talks on Tuesday, December 29, on agenda including modalities for the repeal of the three laws enacted in September.

In a letter to the unions, Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal has invited them for holding talks at 2 pm on Wednesday at Vigyan Bhavan in the national Capital. The last formal meeting took place on December 5, in which union leaders had demanded a clear 'yes or no' answer from the government on their main demand of the repeal of the three laws.

Taking note of the unions' offer to resume talks, Aggarwal said: "The government is also committed to finding a logical solution on all relevant issues with a clear intention and an open mind."

With regard to the proposed agenda by the unions for the meeting, the Secretary said a detailed discussion will take place on three farm laws, MSP procurement system as well as Electricity Amendment bill and ordinance to tackle air pollution in and around Delhi/NCR.

However, the government letter did not make any specific reference to one key condition proposed by the unions seeking talks on modalities for the repeal of the Acts.

So far, five rounds of formal talks held between the Centre and 40 protesting farmer unions remained inconclusive. The last round of talks was held on December 5, while the sixth round of talks originally scheduled for December 9 was called off a day after an informal meeting of Union Home minister Amit Shah with some union leaders failed to reach any breakthrough.

The government had, however, followed up Shah's meeting with a draft proposal sent to the unions in which it had suggested 7-8 amendments to the new laws and written assurance on the MSP procurement system.

In its December 26 letter written to the government, farmer unions gave December 29 for the resumption of talks while made it clear that the modalities for the repeal of three farm laws and guarantee for MSP — minimum support price at which the government procures crops from farmers — should be part of the agenda for resuming talks with the government.

The date given by the government for the next round of talks is the same day when unions have also decided to hold a tractor march from Singhu Border and Tikri Border to the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) highway.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Monday that his government has undertaken historic reforms in the farm sector to boost agriculture and strengthen farmers.

Flagging off the 100th "Kisan Rail" from Sangola in Maharashtra to Shalimar in West Bengal via video-conferencing, Modi said his government's policies are clear and intentions transparent in reforming the agriculture sector. It will continue to work to strengthen farmers and agri sector with full force and dedication, he said.

His remarks came amid continuing protests by a section of farmers against the Centre's three farm reform laws. Modi did not directly refer to these laws on Monday, but he has often asserted that they are in the interests of farmers and accused opposition parties of misleading them.

The 'Kisan Rail', a service started by his government, will help small and marginal farmers, who are over 80 per cent of the peasantry, in supplying their produce to far-off markets, Modi said, adding that a big demand for its services led to a rise in its frequency.

This will also help boost the income of farmers, he added.

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