Chandigarh, Sep 14 (PTI) Haryana Congress on Wednesday alleged that farmers are not getting adequate price of bajra in the state, with former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claiming that the crop is being sold at “throwaway” prices in the mandis once again.
“The minimum support price (MSP) of bajra has been fixed at Rs 2,350 per quintal, but farmers are hardly getting the rate of Rs 1,700-1,800. In the last season too, bajra was sold at almost half the rate of MSP,” Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition, said.
At that time, the state government announced that if the crops were sold below the MSP, it will protect the farmers under the ‘Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana’.
“But neither the government kept its promise in the last season nor is it being done this time. It is the responsibility of the government to buy the produce of the farmers at MSP,” the former chief minister said in a statement here.
Hooda alleged the government is repeatedly reneging on its promises and claimed that the farmers, who have been facing the brunt of the inclement weather for many seasons, are still waiting for compensation for damaged crops.
“Neither the government nor the insurance companies came forward to compensate for crop losses due to waterlogging, hailstorms and unseasonal rains,” he said.
“Farmers who grow maize or other crops other than paddy have not been given incentive amount of Rs 7,000 per acre so far. In the last season, farmers were also made to struggle for DAP and urea fertilisers. It is clear that the BJP-JJP government is treating farmers as enemies. The government is constantly cutting the farmer’s compensation and subsidy,” he claimed.
Hooda has also raised the demand of paddy farmers. He said the arrival of paddy has started in the mandis and instead of October 1, government procurement of paddy should start from September 20, so that farmers can get MSP of their crop.
“Along with this, the limit of 25 quintal per acre of paddy imposed by the government in procurement under ‘Meri Fasal, Mera Byora’ should also be removed. It should be increased to at least 35 quintals per acre, because those farmers who are getting more yield per acre will be forced to sell their remaining crop at a price lower than the MSP,” he said. PTI SUN KVK KVK
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