Punjab Farmers and Centre Conclude Third Round of Talks; Next Meeting on May 4
The third round of discussions between Punjab farmers and the central delegation concluded in Chandigarh on Wednesday, with the next meeting scheduled for May 4.
Representatives from 28 farmer unions, including members of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, participated in the talks. The central delegation was led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
To facilitate further discussions, Puran Chand Krishan has been appointed as secretary to engage with stakeholders regarding the legal guarantee on Minimum Support Price (MSP). The central ministers described the meeting as constructive, while Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema echoed the sentiment, stating:
“The discussions took place in a positive atmosphere. The Centre will examine the data submitted by farmer unions regarding the feasibility of implementing MSP on all crops. Additionally, there are no plans to remove protesting farmers from the Khanauri and Shambhu borders.”
The meeting lasted for four hours and was also attended by Punjab ministers Lal Chand Kataruchak and Gurmeet Singh Khudian.
In the previous round of talks on February 22, farmers had presented their proposals on how the Centre could generate financial resources to implement MSP for all crops. However, the central delegation had expressed doubts about the data, prompting farmer unions to compile and submit a detailed report with verified sources. This issue was expected to be a key point of discussion in Wednesday’s meeting.
Meanwhile, heavy police deployment at Banur and Ladda Kothi in Sangrur since Tuesday night has drawn criticism from farmer leaders. Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher voiced his concerns, stating:
“The large-scale police deployment is unwarranted and sends the wrong message. I will bring up this issue in the meeting.”
The ongoing discussions mark a crucial phase in the negotiations as both sides work toward resolving the farmers’ demands.
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