Amarinder Singh Opposes Centre’s Plan To Directly Pay Farmers For Crop Procurement, Calls It A ‘Provocation’

Punjab Chief Minister (CM) and Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh today said that union government’s move to pay the farmers directly for crop procurement will further aggravate the current protests against the farm laws, reports TOI.

Calling centre’s move “another provocation”, Singh seeking land records and FCI making e-payments directly to the farmers will “worsen the situation”.

He said that Punjab had a time-tested system in place since 1967 with farmers getting paid through “arhatiyas” (commission agents) with whom they have excellent relations and can depend on for financial help in the time of adversity.

“How could farmers rely on big corporate houses in the times of crisis,” he asked.

Singh said that the centre was showing an “apathetic” attitude which would not help resolve the situation, he said in reference to the current protests against the farm laws. He further said that the central government was fuelling the situation instead of resolving it.

He also said that the Governor should immediately decide and forward the state's amendment bills to negate farm laws to the president. "If the President accepts it's good and if he refuses, it will open the doors for legal recourse,” he said.