Opposition slams government for move to amend APMC Act

The Opposition Congress and JD(S) on Tuesday slammed the State government for moving towards promulgating Ordinance to bring reforms in Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) by adopting the Model APLM (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017, of the Centre.

Terming the move as “anti-farmer”, the Opposition urged the government to amend the Act through discussion in legislature.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president-designate D.K. Shivakumar and Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah termed the State government’s proposal to clip powers of APMCs as “anti-farmer”, and said such reforms would only benefit MNCs and other supermarket chains. The Congress opposed the Ordinance to the APMC Act as it would disturb the existing arrangement as price discovery happens at AMPC markets that have been built over the years. The State has more than 150 APMCs, and about ₹600 crore revenue is generated to the State exchequer annually.

While BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat have amended the APMC Act, Karnataka has been asked by the Union Agriculture Ministry to promulgate an Ordinance. The changes to APMC Act will remove restrictions on sale of farm produce and benefit farmers who are severely hit by the COVID-19 lockdown, the government had claimed. However, pointing out that agriculture is a State subject, both the leaders said that the Centre should not interfere and that the Act should be amended only after discussion in the legislature. Amending the Act through ordinance would dilute the powers of APMCs, they alleged.

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy questioned the State government about the hurry to amend an important Act through Ordinance.

“It should be discussed in legislature. When people’s attention is diverted due to the COVID-19 crisis, what is the hurry?” he asked. Further, he said that Maharashtra, which had adopted changes, is moving back since the proposed reforms failed. “The proposed reforms will completely dilute the law, including provisions for criminal prosecution. Any sale now inside or outside APMC has to be registered, which will not be required in the proposed ordinance,” he said.