CHANDIGARH: Former chief minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said on Saturday that farmers of Haryana are desperately waiting for sugarcane payment, damage compensation and fertiliser.
Hooda also demanded compensation to farmers for the damage to crops due to the recent hailstorm. He said the government should have started ‘girdawari’ with promptness, but despite demands raised by the farmers, the government chose to ignore it.
“It is clear from the attitude of this government that it is avoiding giving compensation. This has been the track record of this government in the last nine years.
Farmers have been waiting for compensation for many years,” he stated. Hooda said BJP-JJP are defrauding not only the farmers but also the commission agents and workers of crores of rupees.
Hooda said the government owes Rs 487 crore to commission agents and workers. Although the paddy season has ended, the government has not paid them wages.
Hooda said this government is neither giving a fair price for the crop to the farmers, nor is the government able to provide fertilisers and seeds to the farmers on time.
“Farmers are facing shortage of urea fertiliser and black marketing. Despite this, the government never made arrangements for fertiliser in time,” he stated.