State govt dismantles check posts for transporting produce

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to remove all 109 check posts to curb damage of agricultural goods by ensuring its "hindrance free" movement in the state.

Banerjee said 22 market-regulated committees operate these check posts and the state government would incur revenue losses of almost Rs 200 crore annually for dismantling them.

The Chief Minister added: "It will come into effect from April 1 and no truck laden with agricultural goods needs to remain stuck at any of these check posts for hours after hours. The same policy will be adopted to ensure easy transportation of fish and eggs."

This will bring relief for a big section of society, she added.

The 650 employees, who at present work at these check posts that are mainly operated by 22 Regulated Market Committees, will be reinstated at their nearest Krishak bazars and Krishi mandis.

"Complaints have been received that trucks laden with agricultural goods need to remain stranded at the check posts, causing long delays. It leads to damage to perishable goods many a time. The issue had often cropped up during agro-marketing meetings," she said and added that the state government has taken several steps to ensure unflinching support to those involved in the agriculture sector. This move will once again help them as their products will reach their destinations without facing any obstruction that often used to lead to damage to perishable goods.

At the check posts, the employees used to usually carry out inspection of the trucks to get details of the goods being transported in the same.

"Many used to get harassed as well. We have been receiving complaints from small-scale traders too in this connection. Doing away with the check posts would mean there wouldn't be further problems," the Chief Minister said.

A notice in this connection will be sent up to the block levels and it would take another two to three days to completely implement the same. Bengal has witnessed major development in the agriculture sector in the past eight years with a series of steps taken up by the state government. The income of farmers has gone double and production of various crops has also gone up several times in the past few years. The state has also witnessed a growth in the agriculture marketing sector as well. According to experts, the move will further boost the sector as it will enable timely delivery before the produce perishes. As a result, traders and farmers will not have to incur losses for the same.

Vehicles transporting agricultural commodities will have to provide a self-declaration about details of the product such as its source, destination and quantity, the Chief Minister said.