The State’s Agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal said that steps taken towards making Uttarakhand an organic state have yielded positive results. Stating that the state government is committed towards doubling the income of farmers, he said that the next Assembly session the government would introduce a bill for amendment in revolving fund under the Mandi Act. Approval in principle had been granted for this in the Pauri cabinet meeting. The government’s decision has had such an effect that even before introducing the law, there has been a decrease in the economic exploitation of farmers.
Uniyal further informed that improvement in the income of farmers is being facilitated by facilitating adequate value to them for their produce. He said that considering the exploitation of farmers, a provision of Rs one crore was made in this year’s district plan for Pauri for facilitating the purchase of farmers’ produce through the district administration. This also prevented the exploitation of farmers in Pauri district.
This makes it appear as if this decision of the government will stop exploitation of farmers by wholesalers and the farmers will get proper value for their produce. Improving the financial condition of farmers in this way will strengthen the efforts to double the income of farmers.
The minister further informed that on learing of the government’s intention to table a Bill, the wholesalers have themselves increased the rates they provide for farm produce. Earlier the wholesalers paid Rs 14 to Rs 20 per kilgramme of Mandua (millet) which has now increased to Rs 28 to Rs 32 per kilogramme while the earlier rates of Chaulai (Amaranthus) have increased from Rs 34 to Rs 40 per kilogramme to Rs 56 to Rs 60 per kilogramme.
