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HomePoliticsThe modest gunny bag might turn out to be Punjab's biggest election...

The modest gunny bag might turn out to be Punjab’s biggest election issue

Shortage of gunny bags is a huge worry for Punjab’s wheat farmers, whose produce is waiting in mandis. CM Amarinder Singh blames BJP-ruled Centre.

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Chandigarh: In the heat and dust of the Lok Sabha polls, as national and even international issues dominate the discourse, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh is grappling with something much more modest and politically catastrophic — a shortage of gunny bags.

The CM seems to be at wits’ end because all over the state, wheat procurement in mandis is getting delayed due to the lack of gunny bags. Farmers are spending sleepless nights waiting with their produce at mandis, and with Punjab set to vote on 19 May, i.e. in 12 days, the issue has the potential to relegate every other issue to the background.

Amarinder is said to have called up Food Corporation of India chairman D.V. Prasad Monday and asked him to rush gunny bags to Punjab. The FCI procures wheat and paddy from Punjab through state agencies, and for the state’s mainly agrarian population, grain procurement is one of the most significant events of the year. Any hitch in procurement leads to a delay in payment, which is bad news for farmers.


Also read: Pulwama-Balakot helps Modi in polls — issues of farmers, jobs, Rafale don’t exist anymore


Captain’s accusations

Amarinder Monday accused the BJP-led central government of “deliberately” causing a shortage of gunny bags in Punjab. He said the Centre was acting at the behest of BJP ally Akali Dal to obstruct the procurement process and defame his Congress government.

He also alleged that while Punjab’s farmers were sweating it out, 4 lakh gunny bags (16,000 bales) had been diverted to neighbouring Haryana, ruled by the BJP, to ensure there was no hitch in procurements there.

“The Centre wants to ensure smooth and streamlined procurement operations there ahead of 12 May polling in Haryana,” he said.

He said Haryana was also playing “dirty politics” over procurement. “The glut production from Haryana was being pushed into Punjab through the open borders,” said the CM, adding that had instructed officials to stop such attempts.

“With the diversion of gunny bags to Haryana, Narendra Modi has once again proven that the only thing they (BJP) are interested in is staying in power, by hook or by crook,” he said.

Meanwhile, the opposition Aam Aadmi Party has blamed both the ruling Congress and the SAD-BJP for the situation. MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan, head of the farmers’ wing of the party, said both were responsible.

“They are simply trying to save their skin by indulging in a slugfest of allegations and counter-allegations,” he said.


Also read: In Punjab & Haryana, opposition parties are relying on MLAs to win them Lok Sabha seats


The size of the problem

With an anticipated increase of 3-5 per cent in wheat production, Punjab is heading towards a record breaking purchase of more than 132 lakh metric tonnes. More than 60 per cent of the crop had arrived in mandis by 30 April, with more than 10 lakh MT arriving daily.

K.A.P. Sinha, secretary of the department of food and civil supplies in the Punjab government, said a serious shortage of ‘A class’ bales was expected in Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur.

Sinha added that Punjab had written to the FCI to allow them to purchase ‘B class’ gunny bags from the open market to meet the shortfall, but while Haryana was permitted to use the ‘B class’ bags, Punjab was denied permission.

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