Govt's changes to farm Acts will take us back to square one: Experts

The proposed changes include giving states the right to frame rules to register private mandis

The central government’s proposed changes to the farm Acts to assuage protesting farmers will dilute the existing legislations but restore states’ powers of framing rules on agriculture marketing as was proposed in model Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee Acts circulated since 2003, experts feel.

The proposed changes, which were rejected by the agitating farmers on Wednesday, include giving states the right to frame rules to register private mandis and also levy fees or cess on par with the existing APMCs.

However, it does not give states powers to charge fees on all transactions outside mandis. The proposals also indicate that the Centre might