Punjab Govt Introduces 3 Bills In State Assembly To Negate Centre’s Controversial Farm Laws, First State To Do So

The resolution also rejected the Centre's proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. Centre’s farm laws have triggered protests by farmers and opposition parties in different parts of the country including Punjab.

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New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday tabled a draft resolution in the Punjab assembly rejecting the three farm laws enacted recently by the Centre, terming it a move to "protect the state's farmers and agriculture". Punjab is also the first state where three bills have been brought against the farm laws of the Centre. The bill presented by Punjab government also provides for punishment for paying less than the Minimum Support Price. The three bills introduced by Singh to counter the Centre's laws are -  the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment Bill 2020, the Essential Commodities (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services (Special Provisions and Punjab Amendment) Bill 2020. The chief minister said these bills would form the basis of the state's legal battle ahead. The resolution also rejected the Centre's proposed Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020. Centre’s farm laws have triggered protests by farmers and opposition parties in different parts of the country including Punjab. The resolution passed by the sate seeks annulment of the three agrarian laws brought by the Centre and also the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2020 which proposes to eliminate subsidy in tariff and introduce a new tariff based on the cost of electricity. It also sought the promulgation of ‘a fresh ordinance making the procurement of food grains on the Minimum Support Price a statutory right of the farmers" and continuing with the "procurement by Government of India through FCI and other such agencies.’