India: Session to pass agri-marketing bill

The government may push through a bill, to make way for private players in rural marketing hubs, shelved on November 20, for broader scrutiny by an assembly select committee ending an 11-year policy deadlock. The 21-member select committee will meet for the second time at the end of its 15-day timeframe on December 4 to give its report. With Trinamool Congress members in the select committee outnumbering the opposition 12-9, the two-dozen changes suggested in The West Bengal Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) (Amendment) Bill, 2014, are likely to fall through.

The bill that was deliberated in the house broadens the scope of import and export of agricultural produce and speaks of setting up a private market yard in the same breath. The state will issue the licenses through market committees. The rate of fees may vary for big and small players.

However, the bill stops short of earmarking the all-crucial land for such private marketing hubs or infrastructure to be provided. Government chief whip Sovandeb Chattopadhyay says: "This is a non-issue. Over 90% of the rural markets are privately controlled. This bill only gives government a control over them, frame regulatory structures and also gives a scope to earn revenues to the tune of Rs 100 crore. There is nothing more to it."

The model Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act circulated by the Centre to the states in 2003 has provisions for the registration of contract farming sponsors and recording of contract farming agreements with the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) or a prescribed authority under the act. It, however, gives farmers a shield over the land under such contracts. Sixteen states have adopted it; Bengal, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir, Puducherry and Uttar Pradesh haven't. The rest have implemented it in parts.

Source: indiatimes.com