Nagpur: The Maharashtra Rajya Vyapari Kruti Samiti (MRVKS), an umbrella body of various trade organisations, decided to put on hold its proposed non-cooperation movement against Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) market cess, citing the drought situation, farmers’ interests and the approaching festive season.The samiti said it remains firm on the demand for complete abolition of APMC market cess. In a statement, MRVKS said, “The proposed non-cooperation movement from Oct 2 is being temporarily suspended. Farmers and traders are not competitors, and at a time when farmers are facing a natural crisis, it is the social responsibility of the trading community to ensure that their hardships are not further aggravated. However, the trading community has not stepped back from its demand for abolition of market cess.”As part of the movement, traders had planned to neither collect nor deposit market cess with the respective market committees. The decision was taken at a statewide traders’ conference in Kolhapur on Aug 4. The traders had resolved that if the cess was not abolished by Oct 2, they would launch a peaceful non-cooperation movement on Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti.MRVKS comprises trade bodies including the Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry & Trade (CAMIT), The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture (MACCIA), Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM), Grain, Rice & Oil Merchants Association (GROMA) and Pune Merchants Chamber (PMC).The decision was taken at an online review meeting late Wednesday night, attended in large numbers by trade office-bearers and representatives of organisations associated with 305 APMC market yards across the state.The samiti said dialogue with state govt, marketing department and concerned authorities would continue. It called upon the state govt to initiate meaningful discussions to permanently resolve the market cess issue without further delay. If the expected decision is not forthcoming, trade organisations across Maharashtra would again deliberate collectively on the future course of action, the samiti said.The samiti said dialogue with state govt, marketing department and concerned authorities would continue. It called upon the state govt to initiate meaningful discussions to permanently resolve the market cess issue without further delay. If the expected decision is not forthcoming, trade organisations across Maharashtra would again deliberate collectively on the future course of action, the samiti said.
