<span style="color: #222222;">Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar moved two farm sector legislations in the Lok Sabha today. The two bills, Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 will replace the synonymous ordinances promulgated on 5th June this year. Terming the bills as historic, Mr. Tomar said they will bring revolutionary changes in the life of farmers in the country. The minister asserted that the new legislation seeks to free the farmers from the clutches of Mandis and Farm Produce Markets.<br />'' <br />''Allaying the apprehensions of few members over the bill, Mr. Tomar clarified that the bills will not dilute the APMC Act in any way. He said, Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce will continue to remain in force and the bill will additionally fortify the farmers to reach out to interstate markets.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 also permits the electronic trading of farmers' produce and allows setting up of transaction platforms for facilitating their direct online buying and selling through electronic devices and internet. The legislation prohibits state governments from levying any market fee, cess or levy on farmers, traders, and electronic trading platforms for trade of farmers' produce conducted outside the State Mandis.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">RSP member, NK Premchandran opposed the bill and said that the government is trying to bulldoze these bills on farmers under these testing times of a global pandemic. He demanded that the bills may be referred to a standing committee for further consideration. Congress Member Ravneet Singh while opposing the bill said that Agriculture being a subject of concurrent list, the state governments should be taken on board before tabling such bills in the Parliament. TMC member Mahua Moitra opposed the bill and termed it to be against the federal structure of the country. DMK, IUML were also among the political parties which opposed the bill. TDP and JDU supported the bill in the Lok Sabha.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Shiromani Akali Dal member Sukhbir Singh Badal vehemently opposed the Bill and said that it will erode the effects of all agriculture related development works done by successive Punjab governments over the last 50 years.  He said, in the protest against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, Union Minister for Food processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal will resign from her post.</span><br />''