Frauds against farmers: Maharashtra mulls setting up independent tribunal

In see of the increasing conditions of farmers having cheated when buying seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, the Maharashtra Agriculture Office is analyzing the proposal of Maharashtra Assembly speaker, Nana Patole, to set up an independent tribunal, which will maintain hearings in dishonest conditions, and an independent authoritythat will have regulatory powers for the farm sector.

The Indian Structure, underneath Write-up 323B (g), supplies powers to the Point out Legislature to set up tribunals for these types of disputes, complaints and offences.

Patole is recognized to choose a potent stand on the issue of farmer welfare. In December 2017, when he was a Lok Sabha MP from Maharashtra, he had rebelled from the BJP and had declared his resignation from the Decrease Dwelling as nicely as from the social gathering over the raising range of farmer suicides in the Point out.

Patole explained to BusinessLine he has previously written to the Union Agriculture Ministry and met the Agriculture Minister on the make a difference. He has also demanded that Central Govt rules that govern the sale of seeds, pesticides, fertiliser and agriculture insurance policies be altered, given the substantial-scale frauds from farmers,

By location up the tribunal, Maharashtra could be the 1st Point out to provide these types of protection to farmers. To resolve disputes involving Point out government staff members and the Point out government, the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal, in accordance with equivalent provisions of the Structure of India, is doing work proficiently, he mentioned.

Patole mentioned conditions of farmers having cheated choose a good deal of time in client boards and courts. The farmers do not get any efficient redress of their grievances from the agri-input providers. A draft law for location up the tribunal is underneath approach and views of a variety of Maharashtra Govt departments, like Legislation and Judiciary, is getting sought, Patole mentioned.

The Maharashtra Pradesh Kisan Congress (MPKC), the farmer’s arm of the Congress social gathering, is guiding this shift. The general secretary (Maharashtra), Devanand Pawar, who is spearheading this shift, mentioned the Point out government ought to use the provision in the Structure, which has typically been neglected by successive governments. An independent authority, which will have regulatory powers for the sector, should also be set up for farmers’ welfare. When a farmer receives cheated because of to poor top quality farm inputs these types of as seeds, he has no time to go after the providers. He is concerned about his future time, Pawar mentioned.

BusinessLine has written to the Secretary of Point out Office of Agriculture, looking for his see on the make a difference, but acquired no reply from his place of work at the time of heading to push.