Not one, farmers need thousands of market : Chidambaram

Former Finance Minister, P Chidambaram mocked the advertisement released by Centre defending Farm Bills saying "One Nation, One Market, will give freedom to the farmers." He said that thousands of such markets are needed across the country to help 85 per cent of farmers who are small farmers with little surplus to sell.

New Delhi: Taking a jibe at the advertisement released by the Centre defending the Farm Bills, former Finance Minister P.Chidambaram on Tuesday said that the farmers need many thousand markets all over the country and not just one.

The advertisement, which appeared in the newspaper said: "One Nation, One Market, will give freedom to the farmers."

Commenting on this, Chidambaram tweeted, "Government has released advertisements defending the Farm Bills. One line in the advertisement says that 'One Nation One Market' will give freedom to the farmers."

• Government has released advertisements defending the Farm Bills. One line in the advertisement says that ‘One Nation One Market’ will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Government has released advertisements defending the Farm Bills. One line in the advertisement says that ‘One Nation One Market’ will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020

  ">

  Government has released advertisements defending the Farm Bills. One line in the advertisement says that ‘One Nation One Market’ will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020

"85 per cent of farmers are small farmers with little surplus to sell. If they have to sell the few bags of paddy or wheat, they need many thousand markets all over the country, not one market."

Read: Centre's move to hike MSP of wheat 'inadequate': Sukhbir Singh Badal
"What do the Bills do to create thousands of farmers' markets in large villages and small towns? Thousands of markets will give freedom to the farmers," he added.

• What do the Bills do to create thousands of Farmers’ markets in large villages and small towns?
  Thousands of markets will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  What do the Bills do to create thousands of Farmers’ markets in large villages and small towns?
  Thousands of markets will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020

  ">

  What do the Bills do to create thousands of Farmers’ markets in large villages and small towns?
  Thousands of markets will give freedom to the farmers

  — P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) September 22, 2020

The former Finance Minister questioned the intention of the government to guarantee the MSP, "Why is there no clause in the Bills that stipulates that the 'price shall not be less than the MSP' for that produce?"

The Upper House gave the nod to The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020, on Sunday even as the opposition MPs shouted slogans and created a ruckus during the passage of the Bills. Some lawmakers even staged a walkout in protest.

(IANS story)