SKM Opposes Centre’s Digital Agriculture Push

 Hyderabad: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) said the Centre’s attempt to digitise agriculture should be opposed as this was allegedly part of a bid to favour the corporate sector. These policies were are inimical to the interests of farmers, they claimed while speaking at the birthday celebrations of Shaheed Bhagat Singh.

They said that the Union Cabinet had approved seven new schemes as part of the digital agriculture mission and allocated it Rs 14,000 crore. Digitalisation was pitched as part of efforts to modernise agriculture but was a pro-liberalisation move meant intended to reduce government investment in agriculture, they said.

The Centre was trying to implement the three farm laws, withdrawn some years ago, through the back door, they claimed. Prof. Aribandi Prasad (retired) claimed that multinational companies were entering the country by signing agreements with the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR).