Farmers Pause their 'Delhi Chalo' Protest March as the Govt Proposes a 5-Year MSP Plan

The farmers’ unions have temporarily put on hold their 'Delhi Chalo' march towards the National capital following the Union government's rollout of a five-year plan to purchase pulses, maize, and cotton crops from them at the minimum support price (MSP). After the fourth round of talks between the Kisan Unions and the Center on Sunday, the farmers have sought two days to deliberate on the government's proposal.

Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, and Nityanand Rai, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, convened at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh Sector 26 for the fourth round of talks on Sunday evening. The meeting, which started at 8:15 pm and concluded at around 1 am on Monday, saw discussions on a proposed five-year plan for government agencies to purchase pulses, maize, and cotton crops at minimum support prices. Additionally, the Centre suggested that the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) would procure cotton from farmers at MSP rates over the next five years through a legal agreement.

“Cooperative societies like the NCCF and NAFED will contract with farmers who grow tur dal, urad dal, masoor dal or maize to buy their crop at MSP for the next five years,” said Union Minister Piyush Goyal after the conclusion of the meeting. “Cereals like arhar or tur, urad, if brought under MSP, would lead to a reduction in imports, recover the depleted water level of Punjab, as well as provide economic pulses for consumers," he added.

According to this proposal, the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Ltd and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd will enter into agreements with farmers for the procurement of crops for the next five years, with no restrictions on the quantity purchased.

Piyush Goyal mentioned that the farmers have also requested that maize and cotton be included in the MSP coverage. “For cotton, the Cotton Corporation of India will procure the entire crop on MSP and farmer leaders will convey their decision regarding the proposal by Monday morning," said Goyal. During the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also emphasized on the importance of guaranteed pricing for farmers to consider crop diversification.

After the completion of the fourth round of talks, farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said that they would consult experts before they chart out their future course of action, till then, their agitation will be kept on hold. “We will discuss proposals given by Centre with fellow farmers, take opinions of experts. We will discuss on this proposal over the next two days and the government will also deliberate. We hope for a positive result, else we will continue with our Delhi Chalo march,” said Pandher.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha called for the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march, which commenced on February 13. Since then, farmers have been stationed at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana. Several farmers sustained injuries during clashes with police while attempting to breach the barricades. The farmers are demanding for a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops and seeking justice for the victims of violence in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri. Additionally, they are pressing for the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2020.