With his pro-farmer credentials at stake, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said Monday that he would travel around the state to personally convince the farmers about the benefits of freeing up agricultural trading and farmland ownership.
"I request all farmer leaders to come and sit again with me to discuss. The government is ready to make any changes the farmers feel is right," Yediyurappa said, referring to the statewide bandh being observed by farmers groups that are up in arms against the amendments made to the APMC and Land Reforms laws.
The APMC and Land Reforms Bills were passed by the Legislative Assembly last week.
Earlier, farmers were required to sell only in designated markets (mandis). The APMC Bill removes restrictions on the sale of agricultural produce, thereby allowing private individuals to set up trade markets where farmers can sell. The Land Reforms Bill allows non-agriculturists to buy agricultural land and removes the income limit for purchase of land.
Yediyurappa termed the bandh as a “conspiracy” by farmer leaders and the Opposition Congress.
Requesting farmers to “wait and watch for just six months” to understand the benefits of the amendments enacted by the government, Yediyurappa said: "You will be convinced of its benefits and the problems associated with selling the produce will reduce."
He recalled his own experience as a farmer and as APMC president. “Agents ruled the roost in some APMCs. The fight to give farmers the freedom to sell wherever they want goes back 20-30 years, and I was involved in this struggle. We’ve given farmers freedom,” he said, clarifying that APMCs will not be closed. “In case APMCs run into financial hardships, the government is willing to provide salaries for employees,” he said.
Yediyurappa also allayed fears that liberalizing agricultural landholdings will not adversely impact farmers. “There are restrictions: irrigated land should be used for its intended purpose, SC/ST lands cannot be purchased and the ceiling on land ownership has been retained at 54 acres for one family,” he said.
“It’s not true that lands will be given off to industries. Less than 1% of the lands have been given to industries so far,” Yediyurappa said and pointed out it was the Congress that favoured amendments to the land reforms law in the past.