The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has condemned the newly proposed National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing (NPFAM), branding it more detrimental than the controversial farm laws repealed after widespread protests. In a statement issued on Friday, the SKM accused the BJP-led Union government of undermining federalism by centralizing control over agriculture, a domain traditionally governed by states. They criticized the absence of a Minimum Support Price (MSP) provision and minimum wages for workers, arguing that these omissions threaten the livelihoods of farmers and agricultural laborers.

The SKM announced large-scale Kisan Mahapanchayats to mobilize opposition to the policy, starting in Tohana, Haryana, on January 4, and Moga, Punjab, on January 9. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann joined the criticism, calling the NPFAM a veiled attempt to reintroduce repealed farm laws. The SKM also pointed out the framework’s failure to incorporate key recommendations of the late M.S. Swaminathan’s National Commission on Farmers, which advocated for fair MSP and farmer-centric reforms. Instead, they claimed the draft policy facilitates corporate dominance over agriculture by promoting deregulation and advanced technologies like blockchain and artificial intelligence.

While the government touts the framework as a modernization effort, SKM warned that it prioritizes private interests over farmer welfare. The policy’s centralization of agricultural governance and promotion of corporate agribusinesses threaten to erode the rights of small producers and traders. The SKM has called for unity among political parties to oppose the NPFAM and safeguard farmers’ rights, urging a return to sustainable and equitable agricultural practices.