The Nationalist Congress Party on Monday issued clarification on controversy over Sharad Pawar's letters of 2010 & 2011 to Sheila Dixit & SS Chouhan. "Model APMC Act 2003 was introduced by Vajpayee govt. However, many state govts were reluctant to implement it at that point of time," said the party.
The party further said as agriculture minister, Pawar tried to form broader consensus among State Agriculture Marketing Boards by inviting suggestions for implementation of the Act. Benefit of farmers as per model APMC Act was explained to various state governments & many governments came forward to implement it.
The new farm bill has raised several doubts & insecurity in minds of farmers regarding MSP & other issues which the govt has failed to address. Modi Government couldn't form broader consensus & has failed to satisfy legitimate apprehensions of the farmers & entire opposition, said the party.
Pawar in the 2010 letter to the then Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit that the agriculture sector needs well-functioning markets to drive growth, employment and economic prosperity in rural area of the country.
"This requires huge investments in marketing infrastructure including cold-chain. And for this, private sector participation is essential, for which an appropriate regulatory and policy environment needs to be in place," his letter said, calling for amending the state APMC Act.
In a letter to the then Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Pawar had stated need for investments in post-harvest and marketing infrastructure from the farm gate to the consumer and said "private sector needs to play an important role in this regard".
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar is scheduled to meet President Ram Nath Kovind on December 9, over farmers' protests, said the NCP Maharashtra office.
A nationwide shutdown has been called by the protesting farmers on December 8.
Farmers are protesting against the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.