Karnataka government clears APMC ordinance
Bengaluru: Despite objections from the opposition parties, the Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved an ordinance that will amend the laws to curtail the powers of the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC).
According to the government, it is aimed at bringing in reforms to facilitate market access for farmers.
"The cabinet has approved an ordinance for APMC.
....we have have amended only couple of sections...now farmers can sell their produce as per their wish to private companies or at market, we have relaxed the norm that farmers have to sell at market yards only," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy said.
He said wherever the farmer feels he will get profit, he can sell it there.One can sell produce at APMC markets or outside markets or to private buyers.
"We have prescribed central act as model act with an intention to double the income of farmers and to relax restrictions to give them the freedom to sell their produce anywhere they want.
With this intention we have approved the ordinance," he added.
Opposition parties have vehemently opposed the ordinance and threatened agitation, claiming that it would dilute the APMC laws and affect the farmers' interests.
The measure would only help big private companies as it will clip the powers of the APMCs, they charged.
Conceding that market committees will now have powers to regulate trading within the the market and not outside it, the Minister said the powers of the Directorate of APMC at the state level have not been removed and it will have all the authority to prevent any injustice.
He said if some one wants to trade in the private market he will have to produce bank security or guarantee, and after deposit will be allowed to purchase materials from farmers after obtaining the licence from the Directorate of agriculture market.
As there will be direct link between producer and trader, there will be no middlemen hassles also with this amendment, he added.
Governor Vajubai Vala had recently returned this ordinance citing procedural reasons and asked the cabinet to approve it first.
The government had earlier planned to take post-facto approval from the Cabinet for the ordinance.
Clarifying on it, Madhuswamy said "..the Governor had put it on hold until the cabinet decision."
The amendments to agriculture produce marketing laws are aimed at removing restrictions on sale of farm produce and allowing farmers to sell their produce anywhere, officials said.
Further stating that he was unable to understand about negative publicity for the amendment, Madhuswamy said, "we have said it clearly, farmers can sell wherever they want."
"Even now private players are purchasing from farmers directly, this will regularise it," he said, adding that there might be some reduction in market cess collection for the government.
The State government is said to have taken the ordinance route to amend the APMC act following the centre's suggestion to adopt the Model Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2017, of the union government.
BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Gujrat have made amendments to the APMC Act.
Alleging that the state government was bringing the amendment at the Centre's behest, the Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah said it was against the constitution as agriculture is a state subject.
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SC asks Centre to consider amending law on terminating pregnancy of rape survivors
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday took strong exception to a plea by AIIMS seeking to set aside its order allowing a 15-year-old girl to medically terminate her 30-week pregnancy, and asked the Centre to consider amending the law to permit rape survivors to terminate unwanted pregnancies even beyond 20 weeks.
The top court said when there is pregnancy due to rape, there should not be a time limit.
Law needs to be organic and in sync with evolving time, it stressed.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said this is a case of child rape and the survivor will have a lifelong scar and trauma if termination is not allowed.
The top court said if the mother does not have permanent disability then it should be carried out.
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It asked AIIMS to counsel parents of the survivor over the issue and said the decision has to be of the person concerned.
"There are children for adoption. In this country we have lot of sympathies...There are deserted, abandoned children on the streets and even mafias on it. We have to look at them. This is an unwanted pregnancy of a 15-year-old child.
"This is a curative petition. Unwanted pregnancy cannot be thrusted on a person. Imagine she is a child. She should be studying now. But we want to make her a mother. Imagine the pain, the humiliation the child has suffered in this," the bench said.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for AIIMS, mentioned the curative plea, and said the termination of pregnancy is not possible.
"It will be a live baby with severe deformities. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues and cannot reproduce. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues. This child can be given for adoption. It has been 30 weeks now. It is a viable life now," she said.
The top court said the decision on termination has to choice of the survivor and her parents and AIIMS may help them take an informed decision.
On April 24, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had allowed the girl to medically terminate her pregnancy of 30 weeks.
