Ministry suggests changes in agro chamber bill

Chamber ti have 19 members including five people who own one to five acres of agricultural land

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Law has proposed further amendments to a bill seeking to set up the Chamber of Agriculture – a regulatory body that will work for promoting agriculture in the country.

The ministry proposed these amendments to a subcommittee of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Food Security and Research which met in the Parliament House on Friday.

The meeting, chaired by MNA Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf, discussed the Chamber of Agriculture Bill 2020.

Mover of the bill, Riaz Fatyana, said the chamber would be a regulatory authority.

He said the chamber will have 19 members including five people who own one to five acres of agricultural land and four members who own 6 to 12 acres of land.

The chamber will also include a female member associated with agriculture as well as representatives of the agro-based industries. There will also be a member from the former’s community
“The chamber will work for the promotion of agricultural sector in the country,” he said.

Convener of the committee noted that rates for the tube wells are fixed but the sector is facing lots of taxes. The law ministry official said the bill could be implemented across the whole country but suggested more amendments to it.  Voting on the bill was later postponed.