New Delhi: In a significant development, the Central government and farmer leaders convened for the fourth round of talks in Chandigarh. Following the meeting, Union Minister Piyush Goyal expressed optimism, citing a positive dialogue with the farmer representatives.
Both parties have jointly proposed a constructive solution, suggesting that government-promoted cooperative societies like the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) engage in a five-year contract to purchase products from farmers at Minimum Support Price (MSP), without any quantity limitations. Goyal affirmed that discussions with NCCF and NAFED will be initiated upon their return to Delhi.
Goyal further indicated that farmer leaders are expected to communicate their decision on the proposals by today. The extensive meeting, which lasted over four hours, saw the participation of Union ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal, and Nityanand Rai representing the central government, alongside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
This latest round of discussions marks a significant stride towards addressing the ongoing agricultural concerns, following previous dialogues held on February 8, 12, and 15.