Congress govt in Karnataka to come out with new bill on agri markets
Bengaluru, June 15: The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to a new bill on agricultural markets (APMC), replacing the one enacted by the previous BJP government in the state.
The new Bill will come up in the budget session starting July 3.
"We had said that we will change the APMC Act, the Cabinet has approved the new bill.
It will be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session," Agricultural Marketing Minister Shivanand Patil told reporters here after the cabinet meeting.
He said, "The intention with which the BJP government brought the law was not successful; for example their intention was to get good prices for farmers, but it has not been successful. Also more than one lakh families that were dependent like Hamals, traders, farmers have faced distress and bitter experience after this law came into effect, also trading at the market has come down significantly compared to 2019-20."
ALSO READ: Karnataka govt makes reading of Constitution's preamble mandatory in schools, colleges
"Cumulatively, the APMC markets used to earn a revenue of around Rs 620 crore in 2019-20, which has nosedived after BJP govt brought the law to around Rs 300 crore in 2021, Rs 200 crore in 2022, and Rs 194 crore in 2022-23. We need to arrest this fall and need to increase revenue of the markets, so bringing in new law is necessary," he added.
The APMC law that was brought in by the previous BJP government had removed restrictions on the sale of agricultural produce, thereby allowing private individuals to set up trade markets where farmers can sell.
It also curtailed the powers of local Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) and allowed private individuals to start agricultural trading - buying and selling - if they hold a permanent account number (PAN). Before that, farmers had to sell only in notified markets or mandis.
Several farmer organisations and the Congress then in opposition had staged protests against the APMC law enacted by the BJP government.
Speaking about the changes that will be brought in, Patil said, "we are saying that wherever they trade -- whether inside or outside the market -- the laws that are applicable in the market will be applicable outside too. Also, it will be the same with respect to fees and penalty."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
