JAIPUR: Several farmers returned dejected from foodgrain markets without selling their crops on Friday after foodgrain traders throughout the state went on a three-day strike to protest against the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006.
As many as 247 foodgrain markets in the state remained closed as the Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vyapar Sangh (RKPVS) called for a three-day bandh. Edible oil and pulses mills too remained shut. RKVPS said business around Rs 8,000 crore has been badly affected owing to strike.
In Bharatpur, tea sellers and retailers kept their shops closed. In Jaipur, foodgrain markets in Surajpole mandi, Deenanathji ki Gali and wholesale dealers of tea joined the strike.
The loss includes daily sale of oilseeds (mustard, soyabean, groundnut, sesame) worth Rs1,500 crore, edible oil worth Rs 800 crore, pulses Rs1,200 crore, foodgrains Rs1,500 crore and dry spices worth Rs1,500 crore. Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 was implemented in the state in August 2011. However, from January 1, the state made it compulsory for foodgrain traders to procure licence from the medical, health and family welfare department, and that too with an increased fee.
The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 was amended to form the new FSS Act. Under the newly-implemented FSS Act, 2006, foodgrains too will have to undergo inspection by the administration . Earlier, only cooked or packaged food was checked.
A chief medical and health officer said, "Earlier, we did not conduct raids at foodgrain storehouses as the licencing authority rested with the municipal bodies. However, under the new Act, the director (health) is now the food safety commissioner . The health and medical department is authorized to issue licences and at the same time check the licences of foodgrain traders."
The revised Act however, has not been welcomed by the traders who feel that as they just buy the grains from farmers and sell it off to dealers, they do not play any part in adulterating it, and therefore, should be kept out of it.
RKPVS president Babulal Gupta said, "The strike is our way of showing solidarity with traders across the country who protested against the Act. A meeting of Bhartiya Udhyog Vyapar Mandal was convened to demand rectification in the Act and intensify the protests across the country."
The traders also protested against the sharp rise in licence fee. Earlier the fee ranged between Rs 6 and Rs 12, but now it has gone up to Rs 2,000 and even up to Rs 7,500 in some cases , said Gupta. For a trader with a turnover of Rs 60 lakh, the fee should be Rs 20, while for those with a turnover of over Rs 60 lakh, it should be Rs 100, the traders demanded.
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Traders in the entire state opened their shops and normalcy was restored in the food grain markets.
The traders in the state had gone on strike, which was supposed to continue till Sunday, against the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 implemented in the state recently. Under the Act, the food grain traders have to procure license from the medical, health and family welfare department at an exorbitant fees. The traders were protesting against the licensing policy.
The Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vyapar Sangh (RKPVS) office bearers met chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday to tell him their demands.
Since, the FSS Act was introduced by the Centre, the state government wrote to the Centre about the demands of traders. "The CM has directed principal secretary, health, to write to the Centre regarding our demands. Since the state government has written to Centre, we have decided to call off our strike," RKPVS president Babu Lal Gupta said.
Though the traders have called off the strike but have decided not to give up protest and plan to intensify their agitation against the FSS Act. "This is a national issue so the national traders' meet of Bhartiya Udhyog Vyapar Mandal will be held in February to take up the issue," Gupta added.
The RKPVS claimed that they went on strike just to send a message to traders in other states to raise their voice against the licensing policy under the Act.
The RKPVS officials said under the Act, the oil mills have to procure license from Delhi. They demanded that the provisions should be made for traders to procure licenses at state, district and tehsil levels.
Because of the strike around Rs 8,000 crore business was affected in the state on Friday.
As many as 247 foodgrain markets in the state remained closed as the Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vyapar Sangh (RKPVS) called for a three-day bandh. Edible oil and pulses mills too remained shut. RKVPS said business around Rs 8,000 crore has been badly affected owing to strike.
In Bharatpur, tea sellers and retailers kept their shops closed. In Jaipur, foodgrain markets in Surajpole mandi, Deenanathji ki Gali and wholesale dealers of tea joined the strike.
The loss includes daily sale of oilseeds (mustard, soyabean, groundnut, sesame) worth Rs1,500 crore, edible oil worth Rs 800 crore, pulses Rs1,200 crore, foodgrains Rs1,500 crore and dry spices worth Rs1,500 crore. Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 was implemented in the state in August 2011. However, from January 1, the state made it compulsory for foodgrain traders to procure licence from the medical, health and family welfare department, and that too with an increased fee.
The Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act, 1954 was amended to form the new FSS Act. Under the newly-implemented FSS Act, 2006, foodgrains too will have to undergo inspection by the administration . Earlier, only cooked or packaged food was checked.
A chief medical and health officer said, "Earlier, we did not conduct raids at foodgrain storehouses as the licencing authority rested with the municipal bodies. However, under the new Act, the director (health) is now the food safety commissioner . The health and medical department is authorized to issue licences and at the same time check the licences of foodgrain traders."
The revised Act however, has not been welcomed by the traders who feel that as they just buy the grains from farmers and sell it off to dealers, they do not play any part in adulterating it, and therefore, should be kept out of it.
RKPVS president Babulal Gupta said, "The strike is our way of showing solidarity with traders across the country who protested against the Act. A meeting of Bhartiya Udhyog Vyapar Mandal was convened to demand rectification in the Act and intensify the protests across the country."
The traders also protested against the sharp rise in licence fee. Earlier the fee ranged between Rs 6 and Rs 12, but now it has gone up to Rs 2,000 and even up to Rs 7,500 in some cases , said Gupta. For a trader with a turnover of Rs 60 lakh, the fee should be Rs 20, while for those with a turnover of over Rs 60 lakh, it should be Rs 100, the traders demanded.
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Food grain traders call off strike
JAIPUR: The three-day strike of food grain traders abruptly ended on its second day on Saturday when the state government assured the protesting traders of conveying their demands to the Centre.Traders in the entire state opened their shops and normalcy was restored in the food grain markets.
The traders in the state had gone on strike, which was supposed to continue till Sunday, against the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006 implemented in the state recently. Under the Act, the food grain traders have to procure license from the medical, health and family welfare department at an exorbitant fees. The traders were protesting against the licensing policy.
The Rajasthan Khadya Padarth Vyapar Sangh (RKPVS) office bearers met chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday to tell him their demands.
Since, the FSS Act was introduced by the Centre, the state government wrote to the Centre about the demands of traders. "The CM has directed principal secretary, health, to write to the Centre regarding our demands. Since the state government has written to Centre, we have decided to call off our strike," RKPVS president Babu Lal Gupta said.
Though the traders have called off the strike but have decided not to give up protest and plan to intensify their agitation against the FSS Act. "This is a national issue so the national traders' meet of Bhartiya Udhyog Vyapar Mandal will be held in February to take up the issue," Gupta added.
The RKPVS claimed that they went on strike just to send a message to traders in other states to raise their voice against the licensing policy under the Act.
The RKPVS officials said under the Act, the oil mills have to procure license from Delhi. They demanded that the provisions should be made for traders to procure licenses at state, district and tehsil levels.
Because of the strike around Rs 8,000 crore business was affected in the state on Friday.
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