Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said the government will continue to introduce reforms in the farm sector, even as he reiterated his hope that protesting farmers will soon come forward to resume their dialogue with the Centre to resolve their concerns over the three new laws.
The minister said any agitation can be resolved only through dialogue as has been the case always in history and urged the protesting unions to fix a date and time for the next round of talks.
Protesting farmer unions, who are seeking a complete repeal of the three agri-laws, have not yet conveyed their decision on the central government's offer for fresh talks. Thousands of farmers have been camping at the Delhi border for almost four weeks now.
The government has already sent a draft proposal to unions offering to introduce seven amendments to the three legislations that were enacted in September.
"I am fully hopeful that our farmer unions will discuss... If they give a date and time, the government is ready for next round of talks... I am hopeful that we will move towards resolving the issue," Tomar told reporters.
At least five rounds of formal talks with the protesting unions have failed to break the deadlock.
While the government has presented the three laws as major reforms, protesting farmers fear they would weaken the mandi and minimum support price (MSP) systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporates. However, the government has maintained these apprehensions are misplaced and has accused Opposition parties of misleading the farmers.
The government is ready to listen to farmers' issues with an open heart, Tomar said, while wishing the entire farming community on the occasion of the National Farmers Day, celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of India's fifth Prime Minister Chaudhary Charan Singh.
Stressing that a solution can be reached only through dialogue, Tomar said, "History is witness to this fact. However old and strong the protest is, in the end, the solution to a protest is only gained through dialogue."
Farmer unions should discuss the government's draft proposal and inform us if they want to add or delete anything, he added.
Separately, addressing a delegation of the Confederation of NGOs of Rural India (CNRI) that extended their support to the farm laws, the minister said agriculture is an important sector for India. The government "is and will be" committed to strengthening the sector, he said.
"In the last six years, efforts have been made to reform the farm sector to a large extent. There are still many areas left where reforms are due," Tomar noted.
The Minister said there were recommendations for reforms in the farm sector in the past also by experts, unions and state chief ministers, but the previous government might have faced difficulties in converting the recommendations into laws.
But the Modi government brought these reforms in the agriculture sector and most farmers are in favour of these laws, while some are protesting, he added.
