The government is engaging with farmer leaders to decide on the next date of talks, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, as unions intensified their agitation against the Centre's three farm laws and observed a day-long fast on Monday.
"The meeting will definitely happen. We are engaging with farmers," Tomar told PTI.
The government is ready for discussion anytime. The farmer leaders have to "decide and convey" when they are ready for the next meeting, he added.
Tomar is leading the negotiations with 40 farmer unions, along with Food Minister Piyush Goyal and Minister of State for Commerce and Industries Som Parkash.
Previous five rounds of talks between the Centre and 40 farmer unions' leaders have remained inconclusive.
The government has sent a draft proposal along with the written assurance of continuing the minimum support price (MSP) system to them for consideration, but farmer unions have rejected it and demanded the repeal of the laws.
Earlier in the day, Tomar met Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the way forward to end the deadlock.
Later, the agriculture minister also met a delegation of farmers led by the All India Kisan Coordination Committee (AIKCC) which extended support to the farm laws. This is the fourth group of farmers who have extended support to the laws in the last two weeks.
Farmers, especially from Punjab and Haryana, have been protesting at Delhi borders against the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act 2020.
Enacted in September, the three farm laws have been projected by the central government as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove the middlemen and allow farmers to sell anywhere in the country.
However, the protesting farmers have expressed apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of Minimum Support Price and do away with the mandis, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.
Earlier on Monday, farmer leaders said protests would be held at all district headquarters, as more people joined the ongoing agitation at Delhi border points.
As part of the nationwide protest, dharnas were staged at all district headquarters across the country on Monday.
In view of the nationwide protest, the Delhi Police has enhanced security at city border points.
Multi-layered cemented barriers, additional police force and barbed wires formed the first layer of security at the protest site at the Singhu border. The second layer of barricades deployed by the Delhi Police is being guarded by a team of the Rapid Action Force along with paramilitary forces. Then crossing through the toll plaza, as one reaches the main barricades, heavy police presence is witnessed.
The traffic police have issued an advisory to commuters to take alternative routes in view of the farmers' protests.
