Maharashtra Government to Find Consensus Solutions for APMC Traders: Jaykumar Rawal
The Maharashtra government will seek consensus-based solutions to various challenges faced by traders and Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal announced on Tuesday. Speaking at a meeting held at the Mantralaya, Rawal stated that the state aims to maintain a balance between the interests of farmers, traders, and consumers while addressing sector reforms.
The discussions took place with members of the Maharashtra State Traders’ Action Committee. Rawal noted that a broader meeting involving office-bearers of market committees and trader representatives will soon be convened to examine the issues in detail and formulate appropriate resolutions.
During the meeting, trader representatives demanded the abolition of service and user charges currently imposed by APMCs. They proposed replacing market cess with maintenance charges and urged the government to amend market committee laws and regulations to reflect evolving commercial requirements. The representatives also sought a more transparent administrative system to improve the ease of doing business and called for the removal of taxation disparities between registered and unregistered traders.
Addressing the concerns, Rawal said the government intends to support market stakeholders without causing financial losses to market committees or placing extra burdens on consumers. He advised trader organisations to submit detailed representations if certain agricultural commodities face double taxation, adding that the government would review the issue and consult the GST Commissioner to find ways to ease the tax burden.
The minister stated that completely abolishing the APMC cess may not be a practical step, but the administration remains open to evaluating viable alternatives. He noted that APMCs are required to provide necessary facilities and services to traders in exchange for these fees.
Rawal also announced plans to shift services provided by market committees online to increase transparency and operational efficiency. He observed that the operational needs and challenges of market committees differ across regions such as Mumbai, Pune, and other districts, requiring tailored decisions based on local circumstances.
