Central farm laws not in interest of farmers, Maharashtra govt will amend its agri law: Balasaheb Thorat

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat on Wednesday said the state government will amend its agriculture law to protect farmers and APMCs as the three Central farm laws, he said, are not in the interest of agriculturists.

Minister Thorat said the draft law will be introduced in the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature beginning 5 July.

Speaking to reporters, Thorat said, "We want to amend the state agriculture law as we feel that the Union government's agriculture laws are not in the interest of farmers. The proposed amendments will ensure the protection of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs), redressal of grievances of farmers and protection of the interests of agriculturists during the crop trade among others. We will also insert a provision mandating license for traders which was not there in the Central laws."

Thorat, a senior Congress leader, along with state Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil, Agriculture Minister Dada Bhuse and MoS Agriculture and Cooperation Vishwajeet Kadam met NCP chief Sharad Pawar to discuss the draft law.

"We also discussed the Centre's new law on cooperative banking which we feel will hurt the cooperative sector," Thorat added.

Thousands of Indian farmers, especially from northern India, have camped on major national highways for almost a year, demanding the repeal of three new agricultural laws that they say threaten their livelihoods.

Multiple rounds of talks between the Centre and farmers' bodies have failed to resolve the deadlock.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said the government is ready to resume talks with protesting farmers but asked the unions to point out their objections to the provisions of the three farm laws with sound logic.