Sir, I wish to speak a few words on this bill. Sir, I feel that there was no necessity for moving this coffee (amendment) bill as the coffee board administration has been carried on efficiently with the cooperation of all the members of the board, both elected and nominated. I do not know hwat the government are aiming at by moving this amending bill. Government have not pointed out in what way the elected representatives of growers worked against the interest of the government or the board of the planters. Instead of decentralising powers, they seem to concentrate powers in the center. I think, Sir, this is a bad policy. The government should decentralise powers and distributive the same among the people. Sir, I know that the nominations representing several intersts such as labour, consumers, trade etc are being made by the government. Till now, the coffee growers used to elect representatives in whom they had confidence. But this bill contemplates to deprive the planting community even of their elementary right of electing their representatives. What is the object and background of this amendment, I want to ask? The hon. Minister was pleased to say that this board is on the analogy of the tea board and all that. There are three boards now the coffee board, the rubber board and the tea board. The functions of this board are different from the functions of the other two boards. You cannot place the functions of the coffee board on an equal footing with those of the tea board or the rubber board. The same rules as can be applied to the rubber board cannot be applied to the coffee board. Sir, the coffee industry is now facing a great crisis. The prices of coffee both in the internal as well as in the exteranl markets are going down from year to year and the cost of production is on the increase. The cost of manure and estate implements has gone up beyond limit.
