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Karnal: Farmers, traders hassled in mandis with new procurement rules, says Selja
Selja, who visited the Gharaunda grain market in Karnal district, reviewed procurement arrangements and interacted with farmers, arhtiyas and traders to understand their concerns
Member of Parliament from Sirsa, Kumari Selja, on Friday criticised the government’s new policies for procurement, alleging that farmers, traders and labourers are facing difficulties due to the “flawed implementation and ground-level gaps”.
Selja, who visited the Gharaunda grain market in Karnal district, reviewed procurement arrangements and interacted with farmers, arhtiyas and traders to understand their concerns. She alleged that the government is deliberately “weakening small traders and commission agents” while imposing multiple conditions on farmers. “On one hand, farmers are battling natural calamities, and on the other, government policies are compounding their problems,” she said.
Questioning the mandi portal system, Selja said that while reopening the portal is a positive step, its proper functioning is more important. She added that unless the government understands the real challenges faced by farmers, labourers and traders at the ground level, meaningful improvement will not be possible.
“After preparing their crops, farmers are forced to wait for procurement, and often face losses due to unseasonal rain or hailstorms. They are then required to make repeated visits to government offices to claim compensation. When crops arrive at mandis and rainfall occurs, the risk of damage increases significantly. Long queues delay the sale of produce, resulting in financial losses for farmers,” the MP said.
Regarding alleged cross-voting during Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana, Selja termed it an internal party matter, and said that an inquiry is underway. She said that findings will be made and submitted to the party’s high command.
Selja said that the party has taken cognisance of the issue and is treating it seriously because it is not just about these five votes; other aspects also need to be examined. Former speaker Kuldeep Sharma, former MLA Shamsher Singh Gogi, Raghbir Sandhu, Inderjit Singh Goraya and others were also present.
