Chief ministers' panel on agriculture favours linking grants with reforms

The central government should link grants and allocations made by the Finance Commission to states with the reforms in the agriculture sector.

A proposal to this effect was discussed at the first meeting of a 'High-Powered Committee of Chief Ministers for Transformation of Indian Agriculture' on Thursday.

Briefing the reporters about the meeting, the convenor of the committee and Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, said there should be greater coordination between the ministries of agriculture and commerce as one deals with production, while the other with marketing.

"Grants of the central government and fund allocation of the Finance Commission should be linked with the agriculture reforms undertaken in states," he said while adding that it is essential to ensure simultaneous reforms in states.

Fadnavis further said unless all states come on board, the country will not witness major transformation in the agriculture sector.

Among other things, some committee members also questioned the utility of the Essential Commodity Act (ECA), 1955, in the food sector.

"Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath was in favour of scrapping the Essential Commodity Act (ECA), 1955," he said.