Parliament panel seeks suggestions on agricultural pricing

The parliamentary standing committee on agriculture has invited suggestions, views and comments from stakeholders, organisations, experts, institutions and individuals on pricing of agricultural produce, in order to streamline the government's market intervention programmes.

The committee headed by Basudeb Achariya (MP) has been mandated to review the methodology used for fixing minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural products.

Besides, the committee will look into broad-basing crop coverage, market intervention to avert distress sales and the formulation of a balanced and integrated price structure, among others.

The committee has also invited suggestions, views, and comments on the `Agricultural Biosecurity Bill 2013', which, among other things, proposes:

• Integration of plant and quarantine services;
• Establishment of an authority for prevention, control, eradication and management of pests and diseases of plants and animals and unwanted organisms for ensuring agricultural biosecurity;
• Meet international obligations or India for facilitating imports and exports of plants, plant products, animals, animal products, aquatic organisms and regulation of agriculturally important micro-organisms;
• Prevention and control of pest infestation or infection, including declaration of an area as ''controlled area'' for this purpose and measures for control of such infestation or infection;
• Provision for infection, taking samples, entry and search of premises, checking of conveyances to ensure compliance of phytosanitary and sanitary measures and also seizure, treatment and disposal of plants, animals and their products to prevent spread of pests by designated officers;
• Declaration of biosecurity emergency in case of outbreak of organisms threatening biosecurity and actions and procedures to deal with it; and
• Removal of plant, animals, their products and other objects imported in violation of the provisions of the proposed legislation.

The text of the bill as introduced in the Parliament is available on the web site http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in under the heading 'Legislation'. A copy of the bill may also be obtained from the committee's office at Room Nos 614/616, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001.

Submissions may be made in duplicate, either in English or Hindi to the deputy secretary (AGR) at the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Room No 616, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi – 110001 (Tel: 23034042, Fax: 23018865, e-mail: agricom@sansad.nic.in). The Committee would, thereafter, also take oral evidence on the subject.

The commission will also personally hear suggestions if specifically requested to while submitting memoranda. However, the committee reserves the right to decide for or against the request.