India: Government of India Passes Agriculture Market Reforms as Opposition and Regional Parties Protest
On September 20, the Rajya Sabha (upper house) passed two farm bills amid significant protests, and a third bill passed on September 22 following opposition boycott. The legislation remains intact from the ordinances previously unveiled on June 3, 2020, which intends to unshackle existing marketing restrictions, remove certain agricultural domestic trade barriers, and improve market certainty for farmers. The Government of India (GOI) has claimed the farm bills will transform Indian agriculture and attract private investment. While many initially welcomed the ordinances, significant opposition remains, alleging that the reforms are anti-farmer (or pro capitalist), and that private sector monopolies will emerge to exploit Indian farmers. Amid protests, key opposition-ruled states have said they might not implement the new farm bills, with intentions to challenge them in the Supreme Court.
