Voting is underway at four Lok Sabha seats

ON MAY 28, 2018 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

Voting is underway at four Lok Sabha seats, including the politically-crucial Kairana in Uttar Pradesh, and 11 assembly constituencies spread across 11 states today.

Besides Kairana in western Uttar Pradesh, by-election will be held in Bhandara-Gondiya and Palghar parliamentary constituencies in Maharashtra, and Nagaland Lok Sabha seat.

The Kairana bypoll will see a joint opposition taking on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The constituency fell vacant after the death of BJP MP Hukum Singh, whose daughter Mriganka Singh is now the party’s candidate for the bypoll. She is fighting Rashtriya Lok Dal’s Tabassum Hasan, who is supported by the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The opposition hopes that by consolidating anti-BJP votes, they will repeat the success of the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha by-elections, where the ruling party suffered an unexpected defeat.

The ruling BJP, on the other hand, is making extra efforts to retain the seat to try and send a strong message to voters, party cadres as well as the opposition parties — that the drubbing in the Gorakhpur and Phulpur bye-elections was an aberration, and that it was still strong in western UP.

All four major parties in Maharashtra — the Congress, the BJP, the Shiv Sena and the NCP — have pulled out all stops for the Lok Sabha bypolls as the outcome is likely to have a bearing on their future course.

The Shiv Sena has fielded late BJP MP Chintaman Wanaga’s son Shriniwas Wanaga in Palghar, much to the dislike of the BJP which has in-turn nominated Congress deserter Rajendra Gavit.

The bypoll in Palghar was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MP Chintaman Wanaga in January this year.

In Bhandra-Gondia, Nana Patole quit as the BJP MP and resigned from the ruling party to return to the Congress earlier this year, necessitating the by-election.

The BJP is confident of retaining the two seats while the opposition feels setbacks to the ruling party in the bypoll would boost the vigour of the ‘anti-BJP camp’ and lead to new alignments in state politics.

The ruling party has locked horns with the NCP for retaining the Bhandara-Gondia Lok Sabha seat while in Palghar, it is in a direct fight with the ally Shiv Sena even though the contest is multi-cornered.

In Nagaland capital Kohima, Chief Electoral Officer Abhijit Sinha said that all arrangements had been made for the peaceful conduct of the bypoll to the lone Lok Sabha seat in the northeastern state.

The by-poll is a straight contest between ruling Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) candidate Tokheho Yepthomi and opposition NPF nominee C Apok Jamir.

The Lok Sabha bypoll was necessitated following the resignation of Neiphiu Rio from the Lok Sabha to contest the Nagaland assembly election in February. Rio is presently the chief minister of the state.

The assembly bypolls will take place in Maharashtra (Palus Kadegaon constituency), RR Nagar (Karnataka), Uttar Pradesh (Noorpur), Bihar (Jokihat), Jharkhand (Gomia and Silli), Kerala (Chengannur), Meghalaya (Ampati), Punjab (Shahkot),  Uttarakhand (Tharali) and West Bengal (Maheshtala).

The counting of votes will take place on May 31. — PTI  

Model Agriculture Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018

ON MAY 28, 2018 BY NARESH SAGARLEAVE A COMMENTEDIT

Union Agriculture Minister releases Model Agriculture Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018

With a view to integrate farmers with bulk purchasers including exporters, agro- industries etc. for better price realization through mitigation of market and price risks to the farmers and ensuring smooth agro raw material supply to the agro industries, Union Finance Minister in the budget for 2017-18 announced preparation of a “Model Contract Farming Act” and circulation of the same to the States for its adoption. Farmer’s producer organizations (FPO’s) have a major role in promoting Contract Farming and Services Contract. On behalf of famers they can enter into agreement with the sponsor.

The final Model Act “The State/UT Agricultural Produce and Livestock Contract Farming and Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act 2018” has been approved by the Competent Authority and was released by Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Agriculture Minister.

Salient features of Model Contract Farming Act, 2018 are as follows:

The Act lays special emphasis on protecting the interests of the farmers, considering them as weaker of the two parties entering into a contract
In addition to contract farming, services contracts all along the value chain including pre-production, production and post-production have been included
“Registering and Agreement Recording Committee” or an “Officer” for the purpose at district/block/ taluka level for online registration of sponsor and recording of agreement provided
Contracted produce is to be covered under crop / livestock insurance in operation
Contract framing to be outside the ambit of APMC Act
No permanent structure can be developed on farmers’ land/premises
No right, title of interest of the land shall vest in the sponsor
Promotion of Farmer Producer Organization (FPOs) / Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) to mobilize small and marginal farmers has been provided
FPO/FPC can be a contracting party if so authorized by the farmers
No rights, title ownership or possession to be transferred or alienated or vested in the contract farming sponsor etc
Ensuring buying of entire pre-agreed quantity of one or more of agricultural produce, livestock or its product of contract farming producer as per contract
Contract Farming Facilitation Group (CFFG) for promoting contract farming and services at village / panchayat at level provided
Accessible and simple dispute settlement mechanism at the lowest level possible provided for quick disposal of disputes
It is a promotional and facilitative Act and not regulatory in its structure