LS passes amendment to Cess Laws

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) The Lok Sabha today passed the Cess Laws (Repealing and Amending) Bill, 2005, aimed at helping the farmers in the country.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said the bill would remove cess on five items -- processed food, tobacco, spices, coffee and marine products -- helping nine million agricultural families.

He sought to remove all apprehensions that the bill would benefit only the elite farmers.

Citing examples, Mr Ramesh said chillies, which accounts for nearly Rs 600 crores worth of exports, is being produced by very small farmers.

He said so far all agricultural items and products, except Basmati rice and wheat, were attracting a cess.

The Minister repeatedly said that the export of agricultural products were not aimed at earning dollars but were primarily for improving the economic status and standard of leaving of our farmers.

He said the Government, while allowing the export and import of agricultural items, constantly monitors their domestic production and price structure, so that at any point of time, it should not affect our domestic market and the farmers.

He however made it clear that India, which is the largest producr of milk in the world with a production of 86 lakh tonnes, could very well afford to export some six to seven lakh tonnes and this would neither going to affect the domestic price nor its availability in the country.

Earlier, participating on the discussion, Varkala Radhakrishanan (CPI-M) supported the Government for bringing this bill as it would help the farmers to a great extent. He, however, urged the Government to waive off all agricultural loans from farmers to stop the country-wide suicides of the farmers as it would help them to come out from their present debt trap.

Supporting the bill, BJD's Bhartuhari Mahtab said the Government should make it clear whether they want to give a free hand to the exporters at the cost of the domestic users or not. Otherwise the Government should closely monitor all agricultural items that are being imported into the country so that it should not affect our farmers.

BJP's L N Pandey also participated in the debate.

UNI BKS VD HT1858