Punjab: Centre sends invite to farm unions for talks

The government has sent a formal invite to the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) and the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) for another round of talks to be held at Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration in Chandigarh tomorrow.

The invite has been sent by Purna Chandra Kishan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare. The talks will be held around 11 am. As the previous such meetings were held in the evening, farm unions had alleged that it might be a psychological tactic to wear them out.

Farm leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said 28 representatives from the KMM and the SKM (Non-Political) would participate in the third round of talks with the government on Wednesday. Earlier during the month, farm leaders protesting at Khanauri and Shambhu had submitted a report to the government outlining how the minimum support price (MSP) for crops could be implemented.

Sources said the discussion would revolve around the report that had been scrutinised by Agriculture Ministry officials and economists. The experts have framed the response of the government that would be tabled before the farmers on Wednesday.

Pandher said their emphasis would be on opening of the Shambhu and Khanauri borders to end inconvenience to traders and commuters.