From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 28: Karnataka has decided to slash the market user cess imposed in Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) from 1% to 0.60% of the transaction value.

The decision taken at the state cabinet meeting presided by chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Monday is expected to benefit of 36,000 registered traders in 161 AMPCs in the state.

The state government issued an order on December 15, 2020, and increased the user fee in APMCs to 1%.

Traders demanded a total withdrawal of the hike in user cess and demanded a level playing field with the trade that occurs outside the APMC jurisdiction.

The state Cabinet’s decision was taken after a recent state-wide bandh of APMC yards observed across Karnataka in protest against the state government’s decision to increase the market user cess to 1% of the transaction value from 0.35%.

Briefing reporters after the state cabinet meeting, law and parliamentary minister J C Madhuswamy said earlier the government imposed 0.35% cess and it was possible to maintain activities of the APMCs with such a small percentage.

The cess was increased from 0.35% to 1%.  But traders protested 1% fee and demanded its rollback.

During the interaction with Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) last week, traders had urged agricultural marketing minister S T Somashekar to withdraw the notification issued on December 15 and demanded to restore back the order issued on August 4, 2020, wherein the market fee was fixed at 0.35%, which was too small for taking works of APMCs.

Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) president Perikal M Sundar urged the government to levy the market user cess for both Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) traders as well as traders operating outside APMC.

In a press statement, he said levying cess on APMC traders would create a disparity in trade business and demanded imposition of a fee on traders carrying out business outside the APMC.

Beef Consumption would not be prohibited

The state cabinet on Monday decided to promulgate an ordinance for implementing the anti-cow slaughter Bill to ban slaughter of cows.

The Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020, which was passed in the Legislative Assembly during the winter session of the legislature, was not cleared in the Legislative Council.

The new legislation is aimed at prohibiting the slaughter of cows. The new law would not stop the slaughter of male and female buffalos aged 13 years and above. Slaughterhouses would continue to operate and beef consumption would not be prohibited, law and parliamentary affairs minister Madhuswamy said.

In the morning, chief minister B S Yediyurappa inaugurated the new Aarogya Soudha building of the state health and family welfare department.

Deputy chief minister Govind M Karjol, health and family welfare minister Dr K Sudhakar, who is also minister for medical education, and additional chief secretary of the state health and family welfare department were among the dignitaries who attended the function.