The meeting between the farmer leaders and Central Government being held at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Thursday has concluded.. The next round would be held on Saturday, 5 December, said the sources.

At the meeting, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that “Minimum Support Price (MSP) will not be touched and no changes will be made to it.” Tomar said this in a reply to farmer leaders during the meeting.

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Tomar said that people have reservations on MSP and he would like to reiterate that the MSP system will continue and he will assure farmers about it.

“Some points have been raised in previous meetings and today’s meet. Farmer unions are mainly concerned about these. Goverment has no ego, it was discussing with farmers with an open mind. Farmers are concerned that the new laws will end APMCs,” said Tomar.

He said the Government will contemplate about seeing that APMC is further strengthened and its usage increases. New laws lay down provision for private mandis outside the purview of APMC so, we’ll also contemplate about having an equal tax for private as well as mandis under AMPC Act.

Meanwhile, during the meeting, farmer leaders also suggested that the government calls a special session of the Parliament and the contentious farm laws are abolished.

Commenting on the concerns raised by agitating farmers over an Ordinance on stubble burning and the Act on electricity, Tomar said the Government is open to consider and discuss these issues as well.

On the Farm Act Tomar said, “In the new Act, it has been provided that farmers can take their grievances to SDM court. Farmers’ Unions feel that SDM court is a lower court and they should be allowed to go the court. Government will consider this demand.”

It was raised in meeting that if trade takes place outside the purview of mandi, it’ll take place on the basis of PAN Card, which can be easily acquired by anyone today. So, trader should be registered. So, we will also ensure that the trader gets registered, said the Agriculture Minister.

“The Government is holding talks and the issues that will come up during discussions will definitely reach to a solution. That is why I appeal to farmers to end their agitation so that people of Delhi don’t face problems that they are facing due to protests,” said Tomar.

“Points of discussion have been prepared. Discussions will be held on these points on December 5 and we hope that the agitation will end the same day,” observed Som Prakash, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry after talks with farmer unions.

“Government has given indications over MSP. It seems that their stand over MSP will be fine. The talks have made a little progress,” said Rakesh Tikait, Spokesperson, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), after today’s meeting with the Government.

“The issue is about the complete rollback of laws. Not only one but discussions will also be held on several issues. Farmers want the laws be taken back. Government wants to talk about MSP and amendment to the Acts,” added Tikait.

Farmer leader Harjinder Singh Tanda of Azaad Kisan Sangharsh Committee said, “Talks have made little progress. In the half time, it seemed that today’s meeting will yield no result, in the second half it seemed that there is pressure of farmers agitation, on govt. Talks were held in a conducive atmosphere.”

Meanwhile, huge crowds have gathered at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border in Ghazipur as hundreds of tractors entered the area.