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dpa
New Delhi
The Indian parliament on Monday passed a bill to cancel contentious farm laws that have led to a protracted agitation by farmers, officials said.
The development came at the beginning of the winter session of parliament during which key legislation including a cryptocurrency bill will be introduced.
The farm laws repeal bill was passed by both the lower and upper houses of parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, amid protests by the opposition that demanded a discussion on the issue.
The legislation will likely be signed off by President Ram Nath Kovind by later Monday night.
Farmers’ groups have been holding protests since last November to demand the withdrawal of three agricultural laws which the government said were needed to modernize the farming sector.
The laws were aimed to ease regulations around the storage and marketing of crops, but farmers’ voiced their fears that big corporations will benefit and farmers will be left at the mercy of free market.
Premier Narendra Modi, in a surprise move on November 19, announced the rollback of the laws, while maintaining they were meant to empower small farmers.
Farmers’ leaders have welcomed the decision to withdraw the laws but say they will continue their agitation till their other demands - including a guarantee on minimum support prices for crops and compensation for families of around 700 farmers who died during the agitation - are met by the government.
Agriculture with its allied sectors is the largest source of livelihood in India and around 70 per cent of rural households depend on it for a living.
New Delhi
The Indian parliament on Monday passed a bill to cancel contentious farm laws that have led to a protracted agitation by farmers, officials said.
The development came at the beginning of the winter session of parliament during which key legislation including a cryptocurrency bill will be introduced.
The farm laws repeal bill was passed by both the lower and upper houses of parliament, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, amid protests by the opposition that demanded a discussion on the issue.
The legislation will likely be signed off by President Ram Nath Kovind by later Monday night.
Farmers’ groups have been holding protests since last November to demand the withdrawal of three agricultural laws which the government said were needed to modernize the farming sector.
The laws were aimed to ease regulations around the storage and marketing of crops, but farmers’ voiced their fears that big corporations will benefit and farmers will be left at the mercy of free market.
Premier Narendra Modi, in a surprise move on November 19, announced the rollback of the laws, while maintaining they were meant to empower small farmers.
Farmers’ leaders have welcomed the decision to withdraw the laws but say they will continue their agitation till their other demands - including a guarantee on minimum support prices for crops and compensation for families of around 700 farmers who died during the agitation - are met by the government.
Agriculture with its allied sectors is the largest source of livelihood in India and around 70 per cent of rural households depend on it for a living.
