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DOM demands wider markets for Jammu Basmati

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 11/30/2020 11:57:40 AM

Y B News Jammu, Nov 29 DOM (Dalit OBC and Minorities) held an emergency meeting at their state office Jammu and discussed the current agitations of the Indian farmers who have gheraoed the Delhi border since two days and are demanding withdrawal of all three bills which were passed by the Parliament in Sept 2020. The meeting was chaired by RK Kalsotra, State President All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organisations and I/C DOM. RK Kalsotra highlighted that the farmers say that these laws which Parliament passed are against farmers and they fear that the law will open agriculture sale and marketing outside the notified Agriculture Produce Market Committee Mandis if farmers remove the barriers to inter-state trade and provide a framework for electronic trading of agriculture produce .Farmers also fears since the state government will not be able to collect market fee, cess or levy for trade outside the APMC markets, the laws will gradually end the Mandi system and leave farmers at the mercy of corporates. Farmers also fear that dismantling the Mandi system will bring an end to the assured procurement of their crops at MSP. They feel that the price assurance legislation may offer protection to farmers against price exploitations but will not prescribe the mechanism for prior fixation. Farmers are demanding the government guarantee MSP in writing, or else the free hand given to private corporate houses will lead to their exploitation. Due to three parliament bills farmers of the country are frustrated and on the roads since many days. On seeing their agitation, DOM has decided to fully support the demands of the Indian farmers and appealed to the govt of India to amend those bills according to Indian farmers to end their agitation in a fruitful manner because farmers are the producer of our day-today meals. RK Kalsotra, also mentioned that the farmers in J&K are also expressing their anger against the various woes. He said that the Basmati rice grown in Jammu is not given a wider market outside J&K, thus the farmers are supposed to sell their produce within the state. It leaves them with limited options. Thus, a wider access to market on the lines of procurement of fruits like apple, apricot would be beneficial for the farmers. Those who joined the meet were Kulwant Singh, Narinder Singh Khalsa, Indar Mohinder Taar Singh, Harasis Singh Kranti Ravinder Singh & Shafi Bajjad.