Shinde-Fadnavis-led govt revoke 4 steps taken by MVA as farmers get right to vote in APMC polls
16 Jul 2022 14:02:30
Mumbai, July 16: In second meeting of the two-member Sena-BJP cabinet, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis re-approved of the four decisions originally taken by the Fadnavis-led government (2014-2019) which were later scrapped by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
BJP state government amended the legislation in August 2017 to provide farmers with the opportunity to elect members. But the MVA government reversed the decision in January 2020.
But from now, farmers with 0.25 acres (1,000 square metres) of land who have sold their produce in the APMC market at least 3 times in the past 5 years are eligible to vote.
Both of these measures were taken by the Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena administration during its tenure (2014-19) but were overturned by the MVA once it came to power in 2019. After regaining power, BJP-Shinde govt has now reversed MVA’s decisions.
Amongst these decisions are the resumption of pension benefits to those imprisoned during the Emergency and the direct election of village chiefs and municipal council presidents. Farmers’ voting rights in APMC markets have also been restored.
Presidents of Nagar Panchayats, Nagar Parishads & Sarpanchs of Gram Panchayats in Maharashtra will now be directly elected, the Eknath Shinde-led govt declare. Senior govt officials, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, presided over the cabinet meeting where the decision was made.
In addition, cabinet resolved to grant farmers voting rights in order to elect members of Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs). Members of the Farm Produce Market Committee are currently elected by members of village panchayats, agriculture credit societies, and multi-purpose cooperative societies under the Maharashtra Agriculture Produce and Marketing (Development and Regulation) Act 1963.
But from now, farmers with 0.25 acres (1,000 square metres) of land who have sold their produce in the APMC market at least 3 times in the past 5 years are eligible to vote.
Both of these measures were taken by the Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena administration during its tenure (2014-19) but were overturned by the MVA once it came to power in 2019. After regaining power, BJP-Shinde govt has now reversed MVA’s decisions.