New Delhi: In a major announcement Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Friday said that the government will repeal all three farm laws. "Today I want to tell everyone that we have decided to repeal all three farm laws," Modi said.
Farmers have been protesting the government's three farm laws since the Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 were passed.
The three farm laws are - The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act provides for setting up a mechanism allowing the farmers to sell their farm produces outside the Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs). Any licence-holder trader can buy the produce from the farmers at mutually agreed prices.
This trade of farm produces will be free of mandi tax imposed by the state governments. The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act allows farmers to do contract farming and market their produces freely. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act is an amendment to the existing Essential Commodities Act.
The last time the Prime Minister addressed the nation was right after India had scripted history by becoming only the second country after China to reach the one billion COVID-19 vaccinations milestone mark in October.
According to Prime Minister's Office (PMO), later the Prime Minister will also inaugurate key schemes relating to irrigation in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh. Later in the day, Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Jhansi for the "Rashtra Raksha Samparpan Parv".
During this event, he will formally hand over Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) designed Advanced Electronic Warfare (EW) suite for Naval ships to the Indian Navy.
Besides, the Prime Minister will dedicate and launch several new initiatives of MoD to the Nation in a grand ceremony being organised in the precincts of Jhansi Fort on Friday, which also is the birthday of Rani Lakshmi Bai, the epitome of bravery and courage and a great National icon of Rashtra Raksha and India's Independence struggle.
The Ministry of Defence has taken several steps to promote 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in defence in the last two years. These include the issue of positive indigenisation lists, earmarking of 64 per cent of capital procurement budget for the domestic industry, promotion of startups under Innovations For Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, speeding up of capital acquisition process and setting up of Defence Industrial Corridors among others.
