New Delhi: The Centre will hold the ninth round of talks on Friday as part of attempts to end the farmers' agitation, who have been camping at the Delhi borders for around 51 days now, demanding scrapping of the three farm laws to liberalise the sector.
The talks between the government and the farmer union representatives will start at 12 pm in Vigyan Bhavan.
However, the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the implementation of controversial new farm laws till further orders and constituted a four-member committee to resolve the impasse over them between the Centre and farmers' unions protesting at Delhi borders.
For the first time the farmer unions would meet Union Ministers following the formation of the new panel.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Thursday said the Centre is looking forward to positive discussions with the farmers.
He said the government is ready to hold discussions with farmer unions leaders with an open mind.
Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) General Secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal, who is part of the farmers delegation, said the farmer unions will hold discussions with government on Friday as scheduled.
However, farmer unions have consistently maintained that they won't appear before the court-appointed panel, as the members favour the laws.
The three controversial laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, have been agitating at various Delhi borders since the last week of November.
(From IANS with edits)