Karnataka Governor returns controversial APMC ordinance

Karnataka Governor Vajubhai R Vala has returned an ordinance seeking to relax restrictions on sale of agricultural produce.

This development came even as the Opposition Congress and the JD(S), farmers groups and activists are up in arms over the government’s move to clip the powers of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC).

Highly-placed sources in the government confirmed that the Governor had returned the file. “The Governor insisted that the ordinance be passed in the Cabinet first as it is a policy decision. The state government intended to take a post-facto approval of the Cabinet, but the Governor took objection to it," the source said.

The ordinance is now likely to come up before the Cabinet meeting scheduled Thursday for approval.

As per the proposed amendment, the government seeks to relax restrictions on sale of agricultural produce, which would essentially mean that the APMCs will relinquish control to regulate agricultural produce. The amendment seeks to allow private players to directly purchase from farmers, deeming it to be in the larger interest of farmers.

However, the Opposition has taken objection to this move, alleging that it would benefit the ‘ulterior motives’ of private players, taking away the APMC's power to regulate the market, while at the same time making farmers vulnerable to prices dictated by private entities.