Centre ready to put new farm laws on hold for about 18 months: Tomar

New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI):  Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Wednesday that Centre is willing to put on hold new farm laws for one to one-and-a-half years and noted that the farmer unions have taken the proposal "very seriously".

Talking to reporters after the tenth round of talks between the farmer unions, the minister hoped that a solution will be found during the next round of talks on January 22.

“During discussions, we said that the government is ready to put on hold the farm laws for one or one-and-a-half years. I am happy that farmer unions have taken this very seriously and said that they would consider it tomorrow and convey their decision on January 22,” Tomar said.

“I feel that talks are progressing in the right direction and there is a possibility of finding a resolution on January 22,” the minister added.

He said the day the agitation by farmers ends, it will be a victory for the country's democracy.

The tenth round of talks was held between farmer unions and the Central government at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday. The talks were earlier scheduled for Tuesday and were postponed to Wednesday.

Food Minister Piyush Goyal was also present in the meeting.

Farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 last year against the three newly enacted farm laws - Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)