SHILLONG, JULY 22: Minister incharge Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ampareen Lyngdoh on Monday assured to take up with the government on the issue relating to vegetables carrying vehicles having to pay tax at weigh bridges in the state.
Lyngdoh made the assurance after meeting a delegation of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP).
Lyngdoh said, “We don’t have any authority, if there they are such allegation, they should only rooted through proper channel, Minister should only listen how best, can be better the business of both the farmers, as well as the traders.
You cannot be a one sided representation, everybody will be given opportunity and one should not forget that we have the district councils, who has stake in this matter. Government will not be able to take decision about these matter without proper consultations.”
“I have assured them a consultation. Let me first be educated on this matter myself. I am not aware of the complexities are around me, I am beginning to understand them, but I need clarity and I will sit with deputy CMs both of them to be further guided on this matter,” she added.
Asked, Lyngdoh said that she will be taking guidance on the matter.
“Now that they have met me and I have been hearing that there is this big gap between sellers, traders, buyers, so we will see, we will figure this up, I am just at the initial stage of calling all stakeholders on board. Let me first get the properly briefed, then I will call them again, sometime before the Independence Day, let us see where it reached first, and let me first get the correct indicator. I am not the authority, we are not that challan issuing agency, and we are simply taking care of farmer’s welfare,” she said.