Electronic weighing machines must for agricultural merchants: Minister

The use of electronic weighing machine has been made compulsory for those merchants who sell agricultural products. If they fail to use the machine by the end of July, officials will impose a fine on them, said Minister for Sugar and Agriculture Produce Marketing Shivaraj S Thangadagi.

Speaking after inaugurating shanty at Cherambane in Madikeri taluk on Tuesday, he said: “We have already issued directions with regard to the use of electronic weighing machines. If the merchants violate the rules, APMC officials will collect fine from them.”

We have taken measures to install electronic display boards at APMC yards in the State.

Measures will be taken to check tax evasion and to check the middlemen to strengthen APMC. To check middlemen, seven squads have been constituted. There is scarcity of space for the development of APMC. Only Hubli APMC has 300 acres of land. Measures will be taken to fill the vacant posts.

Thangadagi said that he will visit all the 146 APMCs in the State and will try to provide infrastructures.

A sum of Rs 19.68 crore subsidy pending to be released to APMC by the government will be released by July end.

District-in-Charge Minister Krishna Palemar, Assembly Deputy Speaker K G Bopaiah, MLC S G Medappa and APMC President Ramesh Muddaiah and others were present.