Punjab government’s only ‘rage’ proposal: No ground effect on agriculture reform law, BSF, electricity agreements and Punjab Contract Farming Act

Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa moved a resolution against the increased jurisdiction of BSF in the Punjab Assembly, which was approved unanimously. – file photo

Resolutions against the Border Security Force (BSF) and three agriculture laws of the Center have been passed in the Punjab Assembly. The Punjab government is calling it historic. However, experts believe that this is only the anger of the government. It will be of no use at the ground level. Same is the case with the Contract Farming Act of 2013 in Punjab. This Act was not applicable earlier.

It will be beneficial only if electricity is cheap in the power agreement from private thermal plants. The government may turn its back politically, but these proposals will not have much impact on the decisions of the Centre. Especially now these proposals have to reach the President through the Governor.

Navjot Sidhu and former Akali minister Bikram Singh Majithia got into a face-off after CM Channi’s remarks in the Punjab Assembly.

Think of it like this … why there is no effect on the ground level

Jurisdictional Disputes of BSF: By issuing a notification, the Center increased the jurisdiction of BSF in Punjab from 15 to 50 km. The notification of the Center was canceled by passing a resolution against it in the Punjab Assembly. However, this is just a protest. The state government cannot overrule the laws of the center like this. This is the reason why senior advocate and Congress MP Manish Tewari has advised his government to go to the Supreme Court. Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa also said in the assembly that he would go to HC and SC.

Central Agricultural Reform Act: The agrarian reform laws that led to farmers’ protest were repealed in the assembly. However, this will not nullify the law. A law passed in the country’s parliament cannot be repealed by the assembly. These were amended by Captain Amarinder Singh as CM, but they remained pending till the Governor’s office.

Electricity Agreement: Power purchase agreements from private thermal plants have reached the Electricity Tribunal. So the government did not cancel it. These agreements were made under the Act of the Center. At that time, the UPA government headed by PM Dr. Manmohan Singh was at the center. That is why the Punjab government has taken the path of rethinking the electricity rates. Only then will the Punjab government benefit. To create pressure, the state government has also played the stake of vigilance investigation.

Punjab Contract Farming Act: The Akali-BJP government had made this act in 2013. In this, committees were to be formed at the district and state level. However, this act never came into force. So canceling it or not is the same. In its place, Punjab has made its Act, but it is a big challenge for it to move ahead from the Governor’s office before the laws of the Center.