Uproar over failure to hold ryots assn. poll

By Our Staff Correspondent

JAIPUR, MAY 7. The Opposition BJP members created an uproar in the Rajasthan Assembly today alleging that the Congress(I)-led Government had failed to establish grassroot democracy in the State by not holding elections to the Krishi Upaj Mandi Samitis.

The 124 Krishi Upaj Mandi Samitis functioning across the State have administrative and revenue officials as their administrators. This situation, according to the BJP MLAs, defeats the very purpose for which these Samitis were established.

The matter was raised during question hour by Mr. Mangilal Danga who wanted to know the time-frame in which the Government intended to hold elections to the Mandi Samitis. Elections to these bodies were held last time in 1975.

The Minister of State for Cooperatives, Mr. Parsadilal Meena, replying on behalf of the Ministry for Agricultural Marketing, told the House that holding the polls would be possible only after amending the rules framed under the State Cooperative Societies Act, 1963.

Mr. Meena's refusal to make any commitment on the time-frame led to noisy scenes in the House with the BJP members alleging that the State Government was not serious about giving democratic rights to farmers. The Congress(I) members were quick to react by pointing that the previous BJP- led regime had also slept over the issue during its eight-year-long rule.

The Irrigation Minister, Mrs. Kamla, intervened in the debate to inform the members that the process for amending the rules had already begun and it would take some time before a consensus emerged in the State Cabinet on when and how to hold the elections.

The written reply tabled in the House stated that a total of 124 Krishi Upaj Mandi Samitis were functioning in 10 divisions. All of them have the officials of the rank of Additional District Magistrate, Sub- Divisional Officer, Assistant Collector, Tehsildar and Deputy Secretary appointed as their administrators.

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Section  : Other States
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