The Odisha cabinet on Thursday gave its approval to the Ordinance on Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion and Facilitation) that promises immediate benefits to farmers. The Ordinance has, in fact, been repromulgated after it lapsed after remaining in force for six months. The cabinet also approved around 17 other proposals.
The Ordinance aims at warding off the fragmentation of the market for agriculture produce and livestock by removing the concept of the notified market areas and ensuring proper enforcement of regulations by the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Market Committee.
It will also boost etrading and integration of markets and also create provisions for single point levy of market fee across the state and statewide single trading licence to realise cost effective transactions.
The agriculture department will try to create a conducive market for setting up and operating private market yards and farmer consumer market yards (Kaushak Bazar), sub market yard and market yard so as to enhance competition among different market players for the farmer’s produce, to the advantage of the farmers.
It will work for providing better market linkages to farmers and introduce provisions for single point levy of market fee across the state, statewide single trading licence to realise cost effective transitions.
The state will also work to remove geographical restrictions on the sale of agricultural produce and allow producers to sell their produce anywhere within the state. The state will create modern infrastructure for value addition and primary processing including sorting, grading, packing, scientific storage, preservation and warehousing.
The cabinet chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik also approved Rs 11,200 crore supplementary budget. The budget will be placed before the state legislative Assembly scheduled to begin from November 20.
Odisha song
The state song of Odisha “Bande Utkal Janani” will now be a part of the school curriculum in the Classes IX and X.
A notification to this effect was issued on Friday. The poem was penned by noted poet Laxmikanta Mohapatra during the freedom struggle.
Additional reporting by our correspondent
