Centre's new draft policy framework on agri marketing raises concerns

The draft National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, issued on November 25, 2024, has sparked widespread debate and concern.

- KBS Sidhu

The release of this draft policy comes just three years after the historic farmer agitation against the three contentious farm laws, which were perceived by farmers nationwide as a move to hand over the agricultural marketing system to large private corporations.

The agitation, considered the largest and longest in India's history, culminated in the Prime Minister announcing the repeal of these laws in November 2021.

Despite this, many of the farmers' demands, including the statutory guarantee of minimum support prices (MSP) for all crops, remain unresolved.

Farmers allege that this guarantee was part of the conditions agreed upon by the government during the withdrawal of the agitation.

However, a satisfactory resolution has yet to be reached, even after multiple discussions with Punjab's farmer organisations in the lead-up to the 2022 Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections.

The timing of this draft policy is particularly sensitive.

Farmers continue their protests at the Punjab-Haryana border in Shambhu, blocking traffic, and are frequently thwarted in their attempts to march on foot to Delhi.

With another march planned for December 14, the government's limited 15-day period for public comments on the draft policy has only intensified apprehensions.

This approach has led to speculation that the government might be attempting to reintroduce elements of the repealed laws under a new guise.

Constitutional validity & contents of policy The policy aims at addressing long-standing challenges in agricultural marketing through a unified national approach.

However, it raises critical questions about its constitutional basis and potential implications for state autonomy and farmer welfare.