Parliament Panel headed by TMC MP endorses 1 out of 3 farm laws even as protests continue

Amid the protests against the farm laws, a Parliamentary panel headed by a TMC MP urged the Centre to implement the Essential Commodities Act. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution made this recommendation in a report titled 'Price Rise of Essential Commodities- Causes and Effects' which was presented in Lok Sabha on Friday. Apart from chairperson Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC), it has another TMC MP, a nominated MP, 13 BJP MPs, 4 Congress MPs and one parliamentarian from DMK, BJD, Shiv Sena, AAP, TRS, YSRCP, JD(U), NCP, NPF, PMK and BSP each.

The committee expressed the hope that the recently enacted The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 will become a "catalyst" for unlocking vast untapped resources in the farm sector. The bipartisan support to this legislation is significant as most of the opposition parties have called for a rollback of the three farm laws. TMC, in particular, has been very vocal against the amendment to the Essential Commodities Act with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee alleging that the powers of the state had been "bulldozed".

The report notes, "They, therefore, recommend the Government to implement the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 in letter and spirit, and without let or hindrances so that the farmers and other stakeholders of farming sector in this country receive the benefits intended under the said Act. Noting further that foodstuffs such as potato, onions and pulses 63 are part of a common man’s daily diet and that lakhs of people who do not get the benefits of Public Distribution System (PDS) may suffer adversely in the aftermath of the implementation of the new Act, the Committee also desire the Government to continue to keep a constant watchful eye on the prices of all essential commodities and to resort to the remedial provisions provided in the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 when called for."

Amendment to Essential Commodities Act

On June 5, President Ram Nath Kovind promulgated The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Ordinance, 2020 and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020. After bills to replace these ordinances were cleared by both Houses of Parliament in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, they were signed into law by the President on September 27. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 specifies that the supply of foodstuffs including cereals, pulses, potato, edible oilseeds, and oils shall be regulated only under exceptional circumstances such as war, famine, extraordinary price rise, and natural calamity of a grave nature.

According to the Centre, the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 had been amended to ensure that the farmers get a good price on many commodities. At present, the impasse between the farm unions and the Centre continues despite holding more than 11 rounds of talks. However, the Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of the farm laws and formed a panel to resolve the logjam.