The Rajya Sabha, on the 22nd of September, passed the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
The new changes in the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill,2020 with provisions to remove items like cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oil, onions and potatoes from the list of essential commodities.
The Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill which will replace the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 promulgated on the 5th of June 2020.
Danve Rapsaheb Dadarao, the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, proposed the Bill in the upper House for discussion and passage.
However, the bill could not make it to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, the bill was passed during the Monsoon Session of Rajya Sabha.
Replying to the discussion on the Bill before it was passed by the Rajya Sabha, the minister said that this amendment is required to prevent wastage of agri produce due to lack of storage facilities.
Mr. Dadarao said this amendment would create a positive environment not only for the farmers but also for the consumers as well as investors, making the country self reliant.
The amendment would also strengthen the overall supply chain mechanism of the agriculture sector, helping the Central Government’s promise to double the farmers’ income and promoting investment in this sector and promote ease of doing business.
The Bill would also aim to remove the fear of excessive regulatory interference in the business of private investors, providing freedom to produce, hold, move, distribute and supply so as to attract private sector/foreign direct investment into the agriculture sector.
The Parliament Monsoon Session started from the 14th of September and would end soon in this week.
Stay tuned for further updates.
