Farmers Protest: ASSOCHAM calls for early resolution of farmers' issues
While farmers have decided to intensify the protest in India against farm laws 2020, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) called for an early resolution of farmers' issues, stating that "farmers' protest is resulting in a daily loss of Rs 3500 crores."
It urged the government and farmers' organisations to resolve the impasse over the farm laws 2020. It said that the ongoing farmers' protest is dealing with a big blow to the interconnected economies of the region, including Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.
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"The size of the combined economies of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir is about Rs 18 lakh crore. With the farmers' agitation and blockade of roads, toll plazas, and railways, the economic activities have come to halt," it stated.
According to the rough estimates by ASSOCHAM, a daily loss of Rs 3000-3500 crore is resulting in the economies of the region from the value chain and transport disruption because of the farmers protest.
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Deepak Sood, Secretary-General, ASSOCHAM, said that the supply chain disruptions are also taking a toll on the retail prices of fruits and vegetables across the country as the region is a major producer of these items.
"Industries, farmers, and also the consumers are paying a heavy price for the serious disruption in the supply chain. Ironically, these disruptions have come about when the economy had started unlocking from the COVID-19 impact," Sood said.
Recovering from COVID-19, the Indian Economy needs to double down on growth which is possible only with a conducive environment for industrial activities, investment including the Foreign Direct Investment, ASSOCHAM stated.
-PTC News
