Bhubaneswar: Despite opposing the farm laws enacted by the Centre, the Odisha government has now decided to re-promulgate the Agriculture Marketing Ordinance, as the first Ordinance issued by the government is about lapse. The move comes as a surprise in the midst of the nationwide stir by farmers against the Centre’s farm laws.
Significantly, the BJD had opposed the new farm laws in both Houses of Parliament during its last session, but its new Ordinance is more or less based on the Centre’s model Act of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. A copy-paste of the Central laws, the second ordinance of the state government, christened the ‘Odisha Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation), Ordinance, 2020, was approved by the state Cabinet Thursday.
Though the state government had promulgated the first Ordinance May -13 this year, it did not bring the Bill in the last session of the Assembly fearing a backlash by farmers in the state.
“The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Department of
Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, desired to bring reforms in agriculture marketing sector in the country and it has unveiled a draft model law entitled as ‘the Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017’. But, due to Covid-19 pandemic the state government desires to bring the second Ordinance to give immediate benefits to the farmers,” state government said in a press statement issued Thursday.
Interestingly, the state government has not touched the controversial contract farming law. The issue was incorporated in the first Ordinance, dropped from the Ordinance passed Thursday. Earlier, the state government has brought the Odisha Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, along with the Agriculture Marketing Ordinance. Briefing the media on the decisions taken by Cabinet, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said, “The Cabinet decided to re-promulgate Odisha Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance, 2020, to provide competitive rates to the farmers for their produces. It will benefit the farmers of our state.”
There are 66 regulated marketing committees (RMCs) in state apart from a strong private market, he said, adding “The regional markets will be converted as state and national markets.” This Ordinance will also bring private investment on construction of new godowns, sorting, grading, pack-aging, scientific storage and warehousing, he said.
The Ordinance will also ensure abolition of fragmentation of market within the state by removing the concept of notified market area in so far as enforcement of regulation by Agricultural Produce and Livestock Market Committee. It will also pro-mote online trading. The Cabinet, which has approved a total of 18 proposals, has also approved the Food and Procurement Policy for the Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21. This time, the government has set highest ever target to procure 711alth metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare secretary VV Yadav said target has set to procure 54 lakh MT of paddy during Kharif crop season and 17 lakh tonne in Rabi crop season. He said the department minister can enhance the target, if required. The government has approved tender worth 1461.25 crore for construction of Jagannath Ballav Pilgrim Centre, market complex and extension of Shree Setu along the Musa river in Puri town. The government has set a deadline to complete the projects in 30 months, the Chief Secretary said. The proposal to alienate government land and acquired land for Heritage Security Corridor around Jagannath Temple in Puri in favour of the Shri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee free of premium has been approved by the panel. Tripathy said the government has also decided to repeal 215 Acts mostly Appropriation Acts of the state en-acted in between 1950 and 2011. These Acts will be placed before the Assembly for repeal.
