Even as protesting farmers are fully geared up for their ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation, the Centre has once again invited the heads of 32 farmers’ organizations from Punjab for a second round of talks on December 3.

The Centre’s invitation comes ahead of a planned march to the national capital by farmers from across India on November 26-27.

Farmers from across the country, with Punjab emerging as an epicenter for protests, are protesting against the Centre’s three new farm laws apprehending that they would be left on the mercy of the big corporate with the Government planning to do away with the mandi system and minimum support price (MSP).

The Centre’s Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare secretary Sudhanshu Pandey has sent the invitation to the representatives of Punjab’s 32 farmers’ bodies on behalf of the Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar for the December 3 meeting, in which Railways, Industry and Food Minister Piyush Goyal is also expected to be present.

Officials from Food and Agriculture departments of the Punjab Government have also been invited for the talks.

The first round of talks between the Union Ministers and the farmers, lasted for about eight hours, was held on November 13, but ended inconclusive with both sides sticking to their ground.

Notably, Punjab farmers have been demanding the repeal of the new farm laws and replacing them with another set of laws framed after wider consultation with the stakeholders.

They also demanded a guarantee on the MSP, as they claimed that these new laws may lead to the end of MSP procurement, which the Centre has all along been denying.

The state’s farmers, after discussion with the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday, agreed to allow passenger trains to run through the State for a period of 15 days.

In the November 13 meet, farm leaders had demanded an outright repeal of the three laws and a roll back of the reforms; a legislation guaranteeing minimum support prices; resumption of goods train services in Punjab; pending Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2020, be sent to a select committee; and the repeal of an air pollution ordinance for the national Capital that aims to crack down on farm stubble fires.

CAPT AMARINDER HAILS CENTRE’S DECISION TO HOLD FURTHER TALKS ON FARM LAWS

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday welcomed the Centre’s decision to take forward the talks with Kisan Unions on the Farm Laws issue, in the wake of the farmers’ decision to lift their rail roko to allow passenger and goods trains in the State.

The Chief Minister, who had spoken last week with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to urge them to resolve the issue at the earliest, said that he was happy to note that the Central Government had reportedly invited the farmer organisations for talks on December 3.

“I hope the forthcoming talks will pave way for early redressal of the concerns of the farmers on the central agricultural laws,” he said.

It was vital for Punjab’s interests that the matter be resolved as soon as possible, said Capt Amarinder, expressing satisfaction at the fact that both, the Kisan Unions and the Government of India, had shown flexibility and intent to come to an amicable solution to the issue of the Farm Laws.

“I hope the Central Government will take into account the long term implications of the Farm Laws, and the grave repercussions these would have not just for Punjab and its farmers but the entire nation’s agriculture sector and food security,” said the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, with supplies of essential commodities finally being restored with the resumption of goods train services in Punjab after about two months, the Chief Minister has asked the Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan to coordinate with various departments to ensure seamless movement of the raw materials to power plants and industry.

The stalled operations at various units should be revived urgently, he directed Mahajan, asking her to ensure that critical supplies are arranged to be delivered on priority to vital units.

Mahajan said that a team of officials was managing the supplies and streamlining the process, thus ensuring that the most important raw materials are rushed urgently to the concerned industrial units through the various departments.