Nagpur: Hundreds of vehicle owners staged demonstrations against the entry fees for entering the Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) at Nagpur’s Kalamna Market Yard on Thursday.
It is pertinent to mention that APMC at Nagpur’s Kalamna Market Yard has sparked discontent among vehicle owners as it issued a notice on July 26, 2023, announcing the imposition of entry fees for vehicles entering the market yard from August 1.
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Tuesday 04 Feb. 2025
As per the notice, APMC Nagpur will levy a daily entry fee of Rs 10 and a monthly fee of Rs 250 on large vehicles, while small vehicles will be subject to a daily entry fee of Rs 5 and a monthly fee of Rs 100. This new rule has prompted objections from various stakeholders, including commission agents, traders, farmers, and the general public.
Various associations have voiced their concerns, demanding an immediate withdrawal of the entry fee. They highlighted that the new charges would deter farmers from bringing their agricultural produce to the Kalamna Market Yard, resulting in lower transaction volumes for the agents.
The associations further asserted that before implementing such a significant measure, APMC Nagpur should have consulted commission agents and traders operating within the Kalamna Market Yard. In response to the contentious notice, they have sent a letter urging the APMC to withdraw the entry fee, threatening to stage a strike in protest if their demands are not met.
An anonymous senior APMC official confirmed that the entry fee clause is already included in the by-laws of the APMC Act but had not been enforced until now. The official clarified that the decision to implement the rule was to enhance record-keeping of inward and outward vehicle information and other relevant details, which were not being adequately maintained. To manage these operations, APMC has contracted a third party, although further details about the tendering process and the third party’s identity have not been disclosed.
As tensions escalate between the APMC and vehicle owners, the situation remains delicate, and stakeholders await further updates on the matter.
