Under the leadership of CM Bhagwant Mann , the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously rejects the anti-farmer draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing.
Led by CM Bhagwant Mann , the Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously rejected the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, calling it anti-farmer.
Concluding the debate on the resolution moved by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian, the Chief Minister stated that the state government had already strongly opposed the draft in a written response to the Union government. He emphasized that Punjab had outrightly rejected the proposal as it went against the state’s interests. Bhagwant Singh Mann criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that despite his claims of supporting farmers, his government remains hostile toward them, particularly those from Punjab.
Mann pointed out that the Union government has failed to announce the Minimum Support Price (MSP) promised to farmers. He accused the central government of treating Punjab unfairly, attributing this to the state’s leading role in the protest against the now-repealed farm laws. He argued that the Centre’s resentment stems from being forced to withdraw the controversial laws, an unprecedented move in over a decade of Modi’s rule.
Highlighting constitutional provisions, CM Bhagwant Mann stated that agricultural marketing falls under the State List, as the framers of the Constitution recognized that agricultural policies must be tailored to regional conditions. He asserted that the Centre’s attempt to draft this policy contradicts the federal structure, as states are better equipped to address local farming needs, including crop patterns, infrastructure, and farmer-specific requirements.
CM Bhagwant Mann stressed that for Punjab’s farmers, the procurement of wheat and paddy at MSP is a critical issue. He noted that the draft policy makes no mention of MSP, reinforcing long-standing fears that the central government ultimately intends to dismantle the procurement system. He recalled that similar apprehensions had fueled the 2020 farmers’ agitation and warned that the absence of MSP assurances in the draft has once again triggered concern among farmers.
CM Bhagwant Mann further alleged that the draft policy seeks to reintroduce elements of the three contentious farm laws repealed in 2021 after widespread protests. Since agricultural marketing is a state matter, he insisted that the Centre should refrain from imposing policies and instead allow states to create their own frameworks based on their unique needs.
CM Bhagwant Mann vowed that Punjab would not only oppose and reject the draft policy but would also persistently challenge it to prevent the Union government from implementing it. He assured that the state had engaged top legal experts to protect Punjab’s interests and that no effort would be spared in safeguarding farmers’ rights.
CM Bhagwant Mann also reiterated Punjab’s crucial role in making India self-sufficient in food production despite its limited natural resources. He firmly stated that Punjab does not have surplus water to share with any other state and ruled out any possibility of giving away even a single drop. With depleting river resources, he stressed that Punjab now requires additional water to meet its irrigation demands.
