Data on Production and Demand Should Be Prepared – Barsat
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, February 22-
Today, a meeting of the Expert Committee on the National Policy for Agricultural Marketing was held at the India International Center, Lodhi Road, Delhi, under the leadership of Harchand Singh Barsat, Chairman of Punjab Mandi Board and Chairman of COSAMB.
The meeting was attended by the Expert Committee Chairman, Aditya Devi Lal Chautala, MLA Dabwali, Haryana,
Ashok Dalwai, IAS, former Chairman of Doubling Farmers’ Income, Gokul Patnaik, IAS, former Chairman
of APEDA, Parvesh Sharma, IAS, former MD of SFAC, Dr. Hema Yadav, Director of Vamnicom, and Dr.
J.S. Yadav, MD of COSAMB.
All the members shared their views and appreciated the steps being taken by COSAMB. Gokul Patnaik suggested that data should be prepared for the supply chain of 10-12 essential commodities of India. He mentioned that the MS Swaminathan Report also recommends health index ratios and suggestions for promoting interstate trade. He emphasized strengthening the mandi system rather than eliminating it and suggested placing checks on the monopoly of traders who exploit farmers.