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‘Develop AMCs as utility centres for farmers’

ANANTAPUR: The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 20 crore as subsidy to the State for provision of infrastructure in agriculture market committee yards, Minister for Marketing, Warehousing and Food Processing M. Mareppa has said. About 1,000 security guards will also be taken in the AMCs by the year-end.

Speaking at a review meeting with officials from 56 AMCs in the Rayalaseema region here on Thursday, he asked the committees to create additional income sources. Development of market yards was linked to development of farmers and remunerative price to the agriculture produce would also bring in good revenue to the market yards.

Market yards should be developed as utility centres to farmers with provision of stockpiling, stay facilities, organising health and veterinary camps, creating awareness on rythu bazaars and on different schemes being implemented by the agriculture and allied departments like horticulture, sericulture, dairy, fisheries and others.

Of the target of Rs. 34 crore collection as market cess during 2008-09, Rs. 19 crore was collected already. Only 14 crore was collected during the corresponding period last year. Integrated check-posts were set up at Hindupur, Vepanjeri and Narayanapet to prevent leakage of market cess through illegal transportation of agriculture produce to the neighbouring States, he stated. The term of 199 AMCs, completed already, out of a total of 318 was extended by six months. About 500 security guards were being taken on outsourcing method in AMCs now and another 500 would be taken in December in addition to 2,501 already working. Responding to a suggestion made by Anantapur AMC Chairman B. Sathyanarayana Reddy, the Minister assured of positively considering setting up of electronic weighing machines in cluster villages. He also assured cooperation on the proposal to set up terminal fruit market here.

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