Vendors at the Centenary Farmer’s Market (CFM) are unhappy with the explanations given by the Agriculture Minister regarding the increased rent at the market. The Minister is the chairman of the management board. The vendors said that most of the justifications were not true.
Rent hike in the Centenary Farmer’s Market didn’t go well with the vegetable vendors. They say the increase in rent was not according to the Tenancy Act of the country.
“The main issue here is the rent. According to the policy, the rental hike is applicable only after two years with a 10 per cent increase in any case but the rent here is increased by 45-50 per cent at once. Government has helped us till now and if the government could support us in this issue also according to the policy we the citizens here will be very grateful,” said Dorji, a Vendor at the CFM.
“Last time the Minister said in the media that he had visited here and increased the rent after consulting with the vendors in a meeting. It is not true. We are earning because of this and we have to pay the rent as it is our duty. But when it’s increased beyond the standard with 47-70 per cent we are quite surprised. Forget about Minister, not even an officer under the ministry visited here,” added Lobzang, also a Vendor.
Some vendors had even requested the Minister for an intervention, to which, the Minister had agreed. But they said nothing was done.
“If we go there and discuss with all the people there, it won’t be a fruitful discussion as there will be arguments. There is a management system which looks after everything which consists of Tshogpa who interacts with the vendors every day. Since the Tshogpa is nominated by the vendors there we have considered his decisions as final. He has agreed to the management and also agreed to the board unanimously,” said Yeshey Penjore, the Minister for Agriculture and Forests.
The Minister said the increase in rent is more than 10 per cent.
“The increase is not according to the Tenancy Act and it was because till 2018 the government has been paying the rent of nearly Nu 2 M to Thromde for the market area, but now the government can’t afford to pay the rent as it affects the budget hugely,” Lyonpo added.
More than 400 vendors sell their products at the Centenary Farmers Market. Till March this year, each vendor only had to pay around Nu 450-500 a week for a stall. But the rental has now almost doubled.
Sangay Dorji
