Remove 20 per cent export duty on onions: Ajit Pawar to Centre
Nagpur (PTI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday urged the BJP-led Centre to remove the 20 per cent levy on onion exports and provide relief to the grower of the bulbous vegetable.
In a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, Pawar highlighted the issues concerning farmers from Nashik district, where onion is grown in large quantities.
“The onions grown here (in Nashik) are available in other states of India and also exported in large quantities. As of today, onions from the summer yield have been exhausted and the fresh crop has reached various (Agriculture Produce) Market Committees in Maharashtra,” Pawar wrote.
Due to the arrival of a large stock of onions, farmers are now in distress as they are forced to sell their produce at a much lower rate since they have yet to receive any minimum support price, said Pawar. They are selling onions at an average of Rs 2,400 per quintal, he said.
Unseasonal rains and changing climate have already caused a huge dent in the earnings of onion farmers, wrote the NCP leader, who is currently in Nagpur for the Winter Session of Maharashtra's state legislature.
NCP is a partner of the BJP in the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra.
If they are further made to receive a rate less than the production cost, the onion farmers will incur a huge loss, said the deputy CM.
Onions from Maharashtra are in great demand abroad, he said. While Maharashtra is the largest onion-producing state in the country, Lasalgaon in the Nashik district has Asia’s largest wholesale market for it.
The Centre has levied a 20 per cent duty on the export of onions due to which the kitchen staple from the state loses its competitiveness in international markets, according to farmers.
The 20 per cent export duty on onions should be removed so that the farmers can heave a sigh of relief and recover some of their losses, Pawar wrote in the letter to Goyal.
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BJP MLC CT Ravi accused of using derogatory word against Minister Hebbalkar in Legislative Council
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 19: Karnataka BJP MLC C T Ravi is accused of using a derogatory word against Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the Legislative Council on Thursday.
While Ravi on his part has denied the allegations as "false", Congress leaders said Hebbalkar has complained to the Legislative Council Chairman on the matter.
According to Congress leaders, Ravi allegedly used the derogatory word several times against Hebbalkar during an altercation between them, after the House was adjourned for some time by Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, following an uproar over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar.
Speaking to reporters Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah said the incident happened after the Chairman adjourned the House, and that he was standing two rows behind Hebbalkar at that time.
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There was a war of words between Hebbalkar and Ravi, and as she made certain comments against him, he used the derogatory word against her, he said, "I initially couldn't believe that an MLC could use such a word and waited for confirmation. He could be heard using that word and walking out. Later Hebbalkar herself came and told a few of us about it, with pain." "We have complained to the Chairman and sought his (Ravi) expulsion. The Chairman has assured action after verifying audio and video," Yathindra, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's son, said.
Meanwhile, some of the Hebbalkar's supporters staged a protest against Ravi at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha primisis here and they were whisked away by the police.
Meanwhile, Ravi responding to a question on allegations that he used derogatory words against Hebbalkar, said, "Her allegations are false, let the audio and videos get verified, I will speak after that. I won't say anything now. This is not the right time to answer this question. I'm not someone who will abuse someone personally. I have not abused her, I don't know why she felt that way." "I have not said anything to her....I have not made any personal comments against her, that she is claiming," he added.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah speaking to reporters termed Ravi's reported comments against Hebbalkar as "filthy" and said it amounts to criminal offence.
"He (Ravi) has used a very filthy word to Laxmi Hebbalkar, who is a Minister in my cabinet, and it amounts to criminal offence. She has complained to the Chairman and the police. Police will take action according to the law," he said.
When told that Ravi has denied allegations, the CM said, "everyone is saying that he used the word ten times, I don't know, I was not there in the Council. Council members came and told me Ravi has used a filthy word.
Laxmi Hebbalkar is pained, it is in a way sexual harassment against her."
