Karnataka - Gulbarga   

Changes in APMC Act will kill farmers: KPRS

Special Correspondent

GULBARGA: The Karnataka Pranta Raitha Sangha (KPRS) on Monday criticised the State Government for passing the amendment to the APMC Act despite opposition from farmers’ organizations and the small traders. It said this amendment would sound death knell for small and marginal farmers and the retail traders.

The sangha organised State-wide protests in all district headquarters against the passing of the amendment to the APMC Act and in Gulbarga city, the KPRS activists led by its president and State Secretariat member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) Maruti Manpade staged a dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office protesting against the amendment to the APMC Act.

Mr. Manpade said the claims of the Government that these amendments had been brought to help farmers and prevent farmers from committing suicide had no basis and only showed that the State Government wanted to absolve its social responsibility of protecting the interests of farmers.

He said the amendment opened flood gates for the multi-national companies to get permission to establish private markets in competition to the marks of APMC.

The amendment would provide for the contract farming by MNCs, which would take away the independence of farmers to grow the crop of their requirement and need.

The sangha demanded the State Government to withdraw the amendment proposed to the APMC Act immediately to protect the interest of farmers and small retail traders.

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