‘Increased market fee won’t be charged on non-msp crops’

MANPREET INFORMS HOUSE WHILE REPLYING TO QUESTIONS RAISED BY OPPN OVER AMENDMENTS IN PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET ACT

CHANDIGARH : Finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Wednesday informed the assembly that the increased market fee of 3% will not applicable on crops that don’t have fixed minimum support prices (MSPS).

The minister, while replying to the questions raised by opposition MLAS over a bill seeking to amend the Punjab Agricultural Produce Market Act, stated that non-msp produce like potatoes, sugarcane and fruits have been exempted from this fee hike.

“95% of the total agricultural production in Punjab is having MSP, which is given by the Centre. When we charge market fee, it is taken from the buyers and in case of wheat and paddy crops, it’s the central government that procures these crops from us and this charge will be levied from the Centre. When the Centre is ready to pay the higher market fee, what is the harm in earning Rs 450 crore by this move?” he said.

Manpreet also disclosed that basmati rice has also been exempted from the increased market fee.

Earlier, SAD member NK Sharma and AAP’S Sukhpal Khaira raised objections over the amendments, saying farmers will be burdened by the higher market fee.

Sukhpal Khaira called it a ‘backdoor’ tax.

The bill was later passed by voice vote.

INCREASE IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT FUND

Manpreet also tabled an amendment bill seeking to raise the rural development fund from 2% to 2%. He said this increase would earn tax up to Rs 450 crore each year for the government.

Questioning the motive behind the move, AAP’S Baljinder Kaur called for a plan to ensure that the fund is spent in rural areas only. “There should be a bar on spending of this fund too. Under the SAD-BJP regime, the fund was misused during sangat darshans of the chief minister,” she alleged.

HAVE RAISED WATER ROYALTY ISSUE: FM

On Lok Insaaf Party member Simarjit Bains’ demand that royalty be charged on Punjab waters going to Rajasthan, the minister informed the House that the issue was raised by the chief minister in the recent meeting of the inter-state council meeting. “Inter-state council is the only forum where we can raise such issues. Punjab has already raised the issue demanding that our water be treated as a mineral so that royalty can be charged,” he said.