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Allow farmers to store crops in govt schools: Hooda
The former Haryana chief minister said that the state government should allow farmers to store crops in the government schools in their respective villages and purchase it from there only
Leader of opposition in Haryana assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday asked the state government to allow farmers to store wheat and mustard crops in the government schools across the state.
The former Haryana chief minister, while talking to Hindustan Times on phone, said that the state government should allow farmers to store crops in the government schools in their respective villages and purchase it from there only. “Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the schools will remain shut for the next two months. The best way to initiate crop procurement is to utilise government school buildings for storing the grains after purchasing it from the farmers. Most of the farmers in Haryana do not have storage facility and if they leave grains in open, it can be spoiled due to untimely rain. The state government should soon take a decision on it. The decision will also help in avoiding mass gathering at mandis and procurement centres,” Hooda said.
As per the state agriculture department, during this Rabi season, Haryana is expecting 135 lakh tonnes of wheat and 125 lakh tonnes of mustard crop.
Welcoming the state government’s decision to increase the number of wheat procurement centres and mandis for mustard procurement, the former CM said that the government should purchase each and every grain of the farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
“In the recently held all-party meeting, I had suggested CM Manohar Lal Khattar to provide gunny bags to farmers and arhtiyas so that they can start storing grains,” he added.
On being asked about government’s decision to procure mustard in just five days, Hooda said that it depends on the government, how they will purchase the entire crop in such a short time span. “The government had assured us that there would be no limit on the procurement of mustard crop in mandis,” he added.
