The State Agriculture and Marketing department in Wanaparthy is forming new agri market committees after the recent change in government. Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao issued orders on February 12 to scrap the old committees and start fresh.
The government has decided to reserve the post of committee chairman based on rotation. Newly elected MLAs have been invited to submit proposals for this. According to the Marketing Act of 1966, each committee should have 18 members, including 12 farmers, with one appointed as chairman and the rest nominated. The members should represent various sections like SCs, STs, BCs, weaker sections, women, and licensed traders.
The government emphasized the importance of including small and medium dairy farmers in the new committees. Reservations have been allocated for different categories in various areas like BCs, SCs, STs, and OCs based on gender and location.
MLAs are now preparing for the formation of coordination committees following the government’s decision. Party activists are lobbying to be included in these committees to stay in good standing with the MLAs.
In 2018, the TRS government made changes to the formation of agri and marketing committees with reservations based on a roster system. However, the revival of these committees was delayed. The Congress government is expected to follow this policy and extend the chairman’s term by six months.
