By PTI
NEW DELHI: Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday met farmer leaders Rakesh Tikait and Yogendra Yadav and heard their proposals before finalising the agenda on agriculture sector at the Congress’ ‘Chintan Shivir’ in Udaipur.
Hooda is the convener of the Congress panel on agriculture for the Shivir, which has been asked to draft an agenda for discussion on agriculture sector.
He said he has been meeting farmer leaders, and met Yogendra Yadav and Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday as part of his meets.
“We are engaging with all the farmer leaders and will take their inputs and will discuss the same at the Congress Chintan Shivir,” Hooda told reporters after the meeting.
The Hooda-led panel proposed legal guarantee for MSP, punishment for private procurement below MSP, and fixation of import and export tariffs after discussion with the farmers.
Yadav said he raised several points in the interests of farmers before Hooda.
“We want that the concerns of farmers should be raised and discussed at the Congress Chintan Shivir and steps are taken in their interests and welfare,” he said.
Yadav also said the government had not yet communicated the terms of reference of the proposed committee on MSP to ‘Samyukta Kisan Morcha’.
Asked if the SKM had sent names for inclusion in the panel which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned last November while announcing the government’s decision to repeal three farm laws, Yadav said they had written to the government seeking details of the proposed committee.
“We had written to the government at the time asking them for details and terms of reference of the proposed committee. But, we have not heard back from the government. No answer has come.”
Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar had in April stated that the government will form the committee as soon as the SKM sends the names of its leaders for inclusion in the panel.
The PM had in November 2021 said a committee will be formed to make the MSP system more effective and transparent.
Congress is going to hold its Chintan Shivir in Udaipur between May 13 and 15.
