Bill to give leg up to marginal farmers adopted in TN Assembly

The Tamil Nadu Assembly Thursday passed a bill that puts in place a policy framework and institutional mechanism on agricultural produce and livestock contract farming, aimed at benefitting marginal farmers.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2019, piloted by Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu, was passed by a voice vote.

It envisages setting up "TN Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Authority," which will make contract farming more transparent, easier and successful and shall have the powers of a civil court in specified areas.

The objective of adopting the bill, drafted on the lines of a model legislation suggested by the Central government, includes addressing the issue of fragmentation of arable land.

The small size of farms has thrown in challegnes of farm viability, particularly in case of marginal parcels, the objects for the bill said.

"When small parcels of farmers' land are pooled by way of mobilising the owners into a collective operational unit, the resultant scales of economy can benefit small and marginal farmers. Contract farming is one of the many other tools that holds such a positive potential," it said.

The House also passed bills aimed at upgrading the municipalities of Hosur and Nagercoil into municipal corporations were adopted.

Appropriation Bill, 2019 providing advance grants for 2019-20, and another to meet the final supplementary estimates for 2018-19 were also adopted.

Later, Speaker P Dhanapal adjourned the House sine die.