While Arvind Kejriwal and his party leaders are busy extending support to protesting ‘farmers’ from Punjab, his government in Delhi very quietly notified one of the three farm laws he opposes.
On 23rd November 2020, when the Punjab farmers were threatening to hold the national capital as hostage, Delhi government issued the above gazette notification.
The Delhi government on November 23 notified the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020. It is one of the three laws passed by Central government against which Punjab farmers are protesting. Kejriwal and his party leaders including Delhi government ministers have extended support to the agitating farmers who have surrounded Delhi from various exit points.
As per the ordinance, Delhi government has allowed trade of food grains and poultry outside the APMC (Agriculture Produce Market Committee) mandi premises. The same legislation promulgated by central government has been termed ‘anti farmer’ by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
As per the ordinance, after passing of the new farm laws, while Delhi government has been allowing sale of fruits and vegetables outside APMCs since 2014, the new central government legislation allows farmers to sell food grains and poultry outside their designated mandis as well.
Delhi government ordinance will not abolish mandis, just as central government legislation does not. Hence, the fears of farmers are completely unfounded.
The Delhi government notification further redefines market areas for APMC located at Najafgarh, Narela and Ghazipur.
The new Central government laws override the state APMC Act. Hence, the Delhi government cannot allow APMC regulations operate outside the physical boundaries of APMC mandis.