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Lack of arrangements in mandis hitting farmers hard, says Hooda
“At least 15 lakh metric tonnes of wheat lying in the mandis of the state has been drenched in rain and the government remains a mute spectator,” former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said.
Former Haryana chief minister and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday held the ruling BJP-JJP coalition government responsible for less procurement of wheat and mustard due to delay in lifting and lack of arrangements in mandis.
He claimed that lakhs of metric tonnes of wheat in the mandis got wet in the rain due to the negligence of the government.
“The Congress and the meteorological department had repeatedly warned of rain. Despite repeated demands by the Congress, the government neither arranged for the lifting of the crop from the mandis nor provided tarpaulin and bags to protect the crop from rain,” he said in a statement.
“At least 15 lakh metric tonnes of wheat lying in the mandis of the state has been drenched in rain and the government remains a mute spectator,” he said.
Hooda said due to the delay in lifting, the farmers have not received payments. He said the state government owes cultivators thousands of crores of rupees.
“Almost the entire wheat crop has been harvested and till now the government is only using delaying tactics to release crop damage compensation in the name of girdawari,” Hooda said.
The CLP leader said by prematurely stopping the procurement of mustard, the government has pushed farmers towards a big loss. He said the government was trying to wriggle out from the purchase of mustard throughout the season.
“This is why farmers had to sell their crops to private agencies at about ₹1,000 less than the MSP. Now by stopping the purchase, the government has completely destroyed the hope of getting MSP,” he said, demanding that the government must continue procurement of mustard.
