K'taka Assembly passes APMC Bill

Bangalore, July 17 (UNI) Karnataka Legislative Assembly today passed the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation)(Amendment) Bill with seven amendments as suggested by Congress member D R Patil by voice vote amidst walk out by three members of the Opposition.

Even as Speaker Krishna put the bill to voice vote after discussion, Kannada Chaluvali Vatal party leader Vatal Nagaraj, Janata Dal (United) member J C Madhuswamy and Communist Party of India (Marxist) member G V Srirama Reddy staged a walk out protesting against the 'procedural error' in incorporating the amendments into the main bill.

Explaining the objectives of the Bill, Agriculture Marketing Minister Sharanabasappa Darshanapur said the Bill was needed to ensure implemention of the recommendations of the Centre in its Model Act aimed at uniformity in development, reformation in regulation of marketing of agricultural produce.

It also provided for setting up of private market yards, farmer consumer markets and to empower Director or Commissioner of Agricultural Marketing to issue licences and regulate activities in such markets.

It also provided, among others, for introduction of contract farming system to encourage marketing of agricultural produce with a predetermined agreed price, to ensure constant supply of produce to agriculture processing sector which helped the growers to get remunerative price by way of value addition.

UNI