UP withdraws Agri Infrastructure & Investment Policy ordinance

Lucknow, Sep 5 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh government today withdrew the controversial ' Agriculture Infrastructure and Investment Policy' ordinance which gave free assess to contract farming in the state.

The state cabinet had approved the new policy on August 3 and the ordinance was issued on August 10 after getting an approval from the Governor.

However on August 23, the Mayawati government suddenly withdrew the policy claiming that it was not popular amongst the masses and 60 per cent of the farmers were against it.

The reversal on the contract farming also concided with order of closure of all Reliance Fresh retail outlets in the state capital by the state government following apprehensions of law and order problem.

Altogether 10 Reliance Fresh retail outlets were attacked by activists of traders on the day of their opening on August 22 in Lucknow.

Addressing a press conference, Ms Mayawati said here today that a proposal to withdraw the ordinance have been approved by the cabinet.

Under section 2 of the new Agriculture Policy ordinance there was a provision for Contract Farming between the retail sector and the farmers.

The withdrawn Agriculture policy was aimed to attract private investment to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore in the state, besides giving a boost to the retail sector and eliminating the middlemen.

The government had also claimed that policy would have an objective to ensure better and remunerative prices to the farmers of their produce and ensure all-round development of the farming sector which will benefit around 120 million farmers of the state.

UNI