What Punjab's Three Farm Bills Say? Explained in Detail

Amid the intensifying farmer's protest against central government's agricultural legislation,Punjab is the first State to formally reject the three Farm Legislation with its Legislative Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passing three Farm Amendment Bills.

According to reports, the Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the farm laws and the proposed Electricity Amendment Bill demanding their immediate annulment. It also sought an ordinance to protect the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and ensure the continuance of procurement by the Centre.

What are three Punjab Farm Bills?

The three Bills mention that 86.2 per cent of farmers in Punjab are small and marginal, with the majority owning less than two acres of land. Moreover, they have limited access to multiple markets, and lack the negotiation power needed to operate in a private market.

The Bills also point out that agriculture, agricultural markets, and land is the primary legislative domain of the state.

The three State Bills provide for imprisonment of three years and fines for sale-purchase of wheat or paddy under a farming agreement below the MSP.

The Punjab government has claimed in each of the three Bills that the application of central laws to the state is being changed to “restore the agricultural safeguards for the farmers through the regulatory framework of Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 to secure and protect the interests and livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers as also all others engaged in agriculture and related activities”.

What is the Fourth Bill?

A fourth Bill - The Code of Civil Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2020 was also passed, which seeks to insert a provision for exemption of agriculture land not exceeding 2.5 acres from Section 60 of The Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, which provides for attachment or decree of various properties - moveable and immoveable.