No immediate plan on farmer talks again

The government does not have an immediate plan to resume talks with protesting farmers, but it will find a solution soon, Union agriculture and farmers' welfare minister Arjun Munda said on Wednesday.

He is in a group of ministers engaging with farmers on their current protests.

The fourth round of talks held over a week ago in Chandigarh was inconclusive, driving farmers to resume ‘Delhi chalo’ protest.

“There is no immediate plan to resume the talks, but the government will soon find a solution to address farmers' concerns,” said Munda on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Farmers said they would pause their ‘Delhi chalo’ march till 29 February but will stay put along the Punjab-Haryana border until then. Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), the two farmers' outfits spearheading the protest at the Shambu and Khanuari borders announced a series of protests until a decision on the next move is made on 29 February.

The two umbrella bodies represent 200 farm unions. Farmers from Punjab began marching to the national capital on 13 February.

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the government is committed to the welfare of farmers and till now more than ₹3 trillion has been given directly to the peasants under 'PM Kisan Samman Nidhi' scheme.

Farmers want the government to fulfill demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support prices, pension for farmers and farm labourers, and farm debt waiver.

The 4th round of talks held in Chandigarh was inconclusive, driving farmers to resume ‘Delhi chalo’ protest