By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, JAN 20, 2021: THE first meeting of the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to deliberate on the farm laws took place on Tuesday and decided to hold a discussion with concerned stakeholders.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said the committee members discussed the roadmap of activities for the next two months and will be preparing their recommendations after discussion with farmers, farmers' bodies, farmers' unions, state governments, state marketing boards, farmer producer organisations (FPOs), agricultural cooperatives and other stakeholders.

"The committee is keen to understand the opinion on the subject of all concerned so that it can give suggestions which will definitely be in the interests of the farmers of India," said the ministry.

Mr Ashok Gulati, former Chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, Mr Anil Ghanwat, President of Shetkari Sanghatana and Mr Pramod Joshi, former Director for South Asia at the International Food Policy Research Institute, participated in the meeting.

After the meeting, Mr Ghanwat said the committee will hold discussion with farmers and farmers' bodies in the country who are both pro and against the farm laws and will soon be sending the invites.

Even individual farmer can submit their views on the portal to be notified soon, said the ministry.

The committee was appointed on 12 January after the Hon'ble Supreme Court stayed the implementation of the three controversial farm laws: The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.

Earlier, Mr Ghanwat had said the biggest challenge before the committee is to convince the protesting farmers to share their concerns and sit for discussions with them.