Amendments in Delhi APMC Act soon: Sheila Dikshit

New Delhi, Sep 29 (UNI) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said Delhi Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act will soon be amended and a committee has already been constituted for this purpose.

While laying the foundation stone of a HRD Complex, at Nangloi in Outer Delhi, to be constructed by Union Agriculture Ministry's National Horticulture Board, she said the new complex would prove beneficial to farmers and function as a centre for their better future.

Small farmers would be able to get information and useful training relating to production and preservation of their vegetables, fruits and flowers, she said.

Ms Dikshit said this would also help them in the enhancement of their earnings apart from providing a helping hand to horticulturists and their federations.

She added that around 30 per cent of agricultural products were going waste only because of insufficient refrigeration facilities.

This was not only a loss to Delhi but was a national loss.

She expressed confidence that new complex would be able to provide suitable training on preservation of fruits and vegetables to keep them fresh for more days.

The chief minister further said her government was aware of the problems and difficulties of farmers and so decided to amend the APMC Act. While making the amendments in the Act all developments relating to agriculture science advancements and requirements of farmers would be taken into account.

The new Act would be more farmer-friendly, she promised.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Power was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Development Minister R K Chauhan disclosed that an agriculture quality test lab was now ready. The lab was situated just behind the Vidhan Sabha, which would be inaugurated by the Chief Minister in October.

The lab would cater to the needs of farmers and provide facilities of quality testing of soil, seeds and fertilizers, which would go a long way in increasing agriculture production.

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