Varun Gandhi introduces private member Bill to ensure MSP for farm produce

BJP MP Varun Gandhi on Friday introduced in Parliament a private member Bill to make MSP a legal right for farm produce while Congress' Shashi Tharoor came up in the Lok Sabha with a Bill to repeal the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The Farmers' Right to Guaranteed Minimum Support Price Realization of Agricultural Produce Bill, 2022, was introduced by Gandhi to confer upon every farmer the right to realise a minimum price for their agricultural produce and matters connected with it.

The BJP MP from Pilibhit had publicly supported the farmers during their agitation last year and had suggested the government engage with them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021 announced the repeal of the three contentious farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, Farmers' (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 -- following protests by farmers for about a year.

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (Amendment of section 2, etc.) was introduced by Congress MP Abdul Khaleque.

Tharoor moved the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Repeal Bill, 2022, to annul the UAPA.

He also introduced a Bill to provide for the protection, preservation, promotion and sustainable development of India's traditional knowledge and matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

BJP's Rajendra Agarwal introduced the Population (Stabilization and Control) Bill, 2021.

It proposes measures and methods to control the population and a comprehensive policy toward stabilizing India's population, promotion of schemes that incentivise the small family norm, establishing a National Population Control Authority and creating awareness about family planning.

He also moved a private member Bill to amend the University Grants Commission Act, 1956.

CP Joshi of the BJP introduced a Bill to provide special financial assistance to the Government of Rajasthan to meet the costs of repair, renovations, rejuvenation, preservation and protection of water bodies in the state.