Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020, which was issued by the Centre.
In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi, Baghel said that the ordinance issued on June 5 is not in the best interests of farmers, it will also reduce employment opportunities and is contrary to the accepted traditions of the federal structure.
The Chief Minister further highlighted that through the ordinance, farmers and traders have been given the freedom to buy and sell farm produce outside Mandi premises, sales exemption has been given from mandi fee on sale or sale of notified agricultural produce and permission has been given to the merchants without a licence and holding Permanent Account Number (PAN) to buy and sell agricultural produce.
He has also said that the Mandi Act is completely rational and serves the best interests of the farmers, and with it being ineffective "lakhs of farmers in the unorgsed sector will be forced to act under unbridled market forces."
"The closure of the mandi will not be in the long term interest of the farmers as the agricultural produce of the farmers within the mandi yard is valued by the open auction method - electronic tender bid, which gives a competitive price for their produce. Without auction and competition, outside the market yard and lack of knowledge of prevailing market prices, the possibility of farmers getting a lower price for the produce cannot be ruled out," he added.
( With inputs from ANI )