Centre gave freedom to farmers under new farm laws: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said various lies are being spread about "mandis" and added that the Centre has given the freedom to farmers under the new farm laws.

"Many lies are being spread about APMC i.e. mandis. Our government has given farmers freedom under the new agricultural laws, has given new options that they can sell their produce, in mandis or anywhere outside the mandis," the Minister tweeted (roughly translated from Hindi).

Prasad's statement comes amid ongoing protests by the farmers on Delhi borders against the three farm laws -- 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.

In the recent development, Members of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Noida, and Indian Kisan Union, New Delhi, on Tuesday met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and said that the new farm laws were in the interest of farmers and should not be taken back.