After meeting with groups of farmers unions and farmer producers organisations’ last week, the Supreme Court-appointed expert committee on Monday held another round of talks with eminent academicians and professionals from the agriculture sector via video-conference and sought their suggestions and view points over the three farm legislations. This was the 10th round of talks by the committee members. At present, the talks between the Union Government and the farmers’ unions are at a standstill as both the sides stuck to their stands.
‘In total, 7 eminent academicians and professionals in the field participated through video conferencing for detailed deliberations with the committee members,’ the committee said.
According to the committee, all the seven academicians and professionals from the field of agriculture gave their detailed views and suggestions on the three farm laws. The discussion was led by Dr. Pramod Joshi along with other panel members namely Dr. Ashok Gulati and Anil Ghanwat. The committee will hold deliberations with government officials and procurement agencies on February 18. The committee members requested the participants to give their views on the three farm laws.
The three-member panel has interacted with a large number of farmer unions, farmer producer organisations (FPOs) as well as senior officials of state agriculture marketing boards and private mandis to understand their points of view on the contentious farm laws.
It had also held online and in-person deliberations with top organisations including Amul, ITC, FCI, Sugna Foods, Horticulture Produce Exporters Association, All India Rice Miller Association, etc over the reforms. The panel will submit its recommendations pertaining to the Laws to the SC within two months from the date of its first sitting.
The Committee has held nine rounds of deliberations with stakeholders engaged directly or indirectly in the agriculture sector so far. The three-member committee has been holding consultations with stakeholders, both online and in person.
The 11 rounds of the talks between the Centre and 41 protesting farmer unions has so far remained deadlocked even though the former has offered concessions including suspension of the legislations for 18 months, which the unions have rejected.
The protesting farmers under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) — has refused to talk to the committee -continue to protest at Delhi’s borders - Tikri, Singhu, and Ghazipur for over 80 days.