Coffee Act remains a jinx to govts

The Coffee Amendment Bill is to formalise the freedom given to growers to fully sell their produce in the market. Coffee growers were given the freedom, called 100 per cent free sale quota FSQ, in September 1996 after the United Front government headed by H D Deve Gowda assumed power.

However, the government notification allowing 100 FSQ is yet to be formalised through necessary amendment to the Coffee Act.

The Coffee Amendment Bill 1998, to amend the 1952 Act, was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session. Though the Rajya Sabha was scheduled to take up the bill then itself, it could not transact business then.

The bill was scheduled to be taken by the upper house on the first day of this session but before that the government fell during thetrust vote in the Lok Sabha yesterday.

Initially, the Coffee Amendment Bill was introduced in December 1996 but was then referred to the Parliamentary Consultative Committee on Commerce for its recommendations.

The Deve Gowda government fell before the consultative committee could give its report. After the committee gave its report in October 1997, a fresh bill was introduced in Parliament by the Inder Kumar Gujral government during 1997 winter session.

However, even before the bill could be taken up for discussion, the Gujral government fell after the Congress withdrew support on the issue of the interim report of the Jain Commission, probing the conspiracy angle of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.The Atal Bihari vajpayee once again took up the amendment and introduced it in the Lok Sabha during the winter session. The jinx seemed to have been overcome when it was passed by the Lok Sabha but before the Rajya Sabha could take it up, the government fell again.

As per Coffee Act 1952, growersearlier had to sell all their produce to the coffee board. After liberalisation, they were given 50 per cent FSQ by the Narasimha Rao government.