The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Amendments: FKCCI warns of indefinite APMC bandh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 20, 2007
ePaper

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Amendments: FKCCI warns of indefinite APMC bandh

Special Correspondent

It wants traders to be consulted on the issue

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Business hit: A tea seller sits dejected because of lack of customers in view of the bandh at the APMC Yard at Yeshwantpur in Bangalore on Thursday.

Bangalore: The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) on Thursday threatened to launch an indefinite APMC bandh in the State if the Government did not consult traders within three or four days on the amendments to the Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act.

Addressing presspersons here, FKCCI president S.S. Patil and other office-bearers strongly opposed the proposed amendments to the APMC Act.

They claimed that the Bill would only pave the way for the foreign companies to establish themselves in the Indian agricultural market.

Pointing out that the amendment Bill had already been approved by the Legislative Assembly, the FKCCI office-bearers demanded that it be referred to a joint select committee of the State legislature.

Meeting

Mr. Patil said Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had assured a delegation of traders, earlier in the day, that he would soon hold a meeting with them and farmers to include their suggestions in the proposed Act.

However, the traders would launch a protest if he did not hold the meeting within the next three or four days, he said.

The traders observed an APMC bandh on Thursday to highlight their opposition to amend the Act.

The FKCCI office-bearers urged the Government not to buckle under pressure from the Centre to amend the Act. Pointing out that Kerala had not complied with the Centre’s instructions, they urged the State to emulate its neighbour.

If at all the Government chose to go ahead with amendments to the Act, it should ensure that no private market comes up within the radius of 75 km from the existing APMC yards, they said.

A minimum investment of Rs. 100 crore and minimum area of 100 acres should be prescribed for setting up private markets, they said.

The FKCCI office-bearers rejected the argument that the entry of foreign companies would result in producers getting remunerative prices and put an end to the trend of farmers’ suicides. Though Maharashtra had brought in such amendments, suicide by farmers had not stopped there, they said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka

News Update

Stories in this Section