BJP-JJP's aim not to buy paddy & millet, but to ruin the farmers: Hooda

CHANDIGARH: Former Chief Minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda says that the aim of the BJP-JJP government is not to procure crops but to harass and ruin the farmers.

Hooda said paddy and millet are not being procured in the mandis, despite the announcement by the government because the government imposed many conditions in the purchase of paddy. On top of that, as usual, as soon as the procurement started, the portal stopped working, due to which J-Forms and E-Forms could not be generated.

“All the mandis of the state and the roads leading to the mandis are completely jammed. The government has also imposed a new condition of GPS for crop lifting, due to which tender takers have got an excuse for delay in lifting. There seems to be no preparation by the government for purchase, lifting and payment in the mandis.

“Statistics show 20 lakh quintals of paddy arrived, but only 5 lakh quintals purchased; leaving 15 lakh quintals unsold. 3.50 lakh quintals of Millet arrived and only 40,000 sold,” he said.

“Private agencies are taking advantage of the delay in procurement by the government. Under compulsion, farmers have to sell their crops below MSP. The farmers are incurring a loss of Rs 200 to 300 per quintal on paddy and Rs 500-600 on millet,” he said.

Hooda said Congress has repeatedly demanded that the government should start procurement soon. The government, however, deliberately ignored these demands,” he added.

The leader of Opposition also demanded the government to take cognizance of the disease in the cotton crop. He said in districts like Bhiwani, Rohtak and Rewari there has been a loss of 5-6 quintals per acre due to bollworm.