E-Paper
GUNS FOR WHEAT!!??
NOT EXACTLY the age-old barter system but more. The UP government officers? worry about achieving wheat procurement target has forced them to float this innovative idea: ?Bring 1000 kg wheat and get firearms licence?. This is the brainchild of the Barielly administration, followed by Meerut. Not a bad barter for villagers, who always hanker for licence.
Desperate times demand desperate measures
NOT EXACTLY the age-old barter system but more. The UP government officers’ worry about achieving wheat procurement target has forced them to float this innovative idea: ‘Bring 1000 kg wheat and get firearms licence’. This is the brainchild of the Barielly administration, followed by Meerut. Not a bad barter for villagers, who always hanker for licence.
It amply demonstrates the desperation among district officers, who are under tremendous pressure to catch the bull of rising wheat price by its horns. While Food secretary Sudhir Kumar has blamed the Congress-led UPA Government for the predicament of the UP Government, there are other factors, which have queered the pitch for the establishment.
Kumar said, had the Centre given a bonus of Rs 50 above Rs 650 per quintal before the market rates, the situation would have been different. Delay on the part of the Centre in announcing the bonus had led to hike in market price, he added.
There is massive race among UP traders to hoard the commodity for better price in future. Flourmills too have been hoarding large quantities of wheat.
But with the distinct possibility of the Mulayam Singh Yadav government failing to procure 25 lakh metric tonnes wheat, the State’s public distribution system (PDS) is destined to derail. While in the open market, multinational companies like ITC, which the State Government has given a licence for wheat purchase, and indigenous traders have succeeded in procuring more than five lakh tonnes wheat, the government procurement was not more than 22,334 MT so far. If Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has expressed concern it was not without political reason of far-reaching consequences.
In Varanasi
As against the target of 28000 MT, officers could so far procure only 12.68 MT. With the middlemen and brokers playing an active role in villages, farmers have been offered Rs 800 per quintal in the open market. Agricultural Extension deputy director Vinod Kumar said efforts were on to promote purchase.
In Kanpur
only four MT wheat could be procured by government purchase Centers from April 1 to 28 against the target of 8,000 MT. Officers in Kanpur have been running around to achieve the elusive target. The district purchase officer and additional district magistrate (supply) Shyam Lal Yadav expressed concern at the poor turnout at purchase centers.
A similar situation was prevailing in Gorakhpur also. While government centers witnessed a deserted look, private operators had been doing brisk business.
In Allahabad
wheat procurement has yielded abysmally low results. This has created a piquant situation for officers. Since there is no ‘distress sale’ phenomenon, farmers are holding on to their stock for more hike in market rate.
Agra
Differences in purchase rates has led to hoarding of wheat crop. Massive publicity about impending crisis has also alerted farmers. Despite a good yield, the government procurement is quite low and there were reports of wheat being sent to Bangalore and Chennai. ‘It is ultimately the farmers interest that we have to watch and thus, cannot force them to compromise with returns available to them’ said Agra ADM (Civil Supply) RS Malhan.
Azamgarh
Higher market prices have turned away farmers from government purchase centers. As against the target of 500 MT, the district could procure only 43 MT wheat. The low turn out has also been reported from Mau and Ballia.
Meerut
With MNCs and private traders resorting to massive purchase, officers have been making desperate efforts to control the drift. But with a wide difference between support price and market rate, there is no way out for the hapless district administration.
District Magistrate Mukesh Meshram also made no bones in confirming that the situation is pathetic. He said that officials had been activated to ensure procurement. The DM has announced to issue firearm license to those farmers who will bring 1000 quintals wheat at centres. Additionally, the farmer would be given priority in many beneficiary schemes of the government.
Amroha
Like sugarcane purchase a few months back, wheat procurement now has become an uphill task for officers. Private players are minting money in wheat trading, while the entire staff placed for procurement is sitting idle at purchase centres. Only 550 metric tonne wheat has been purchased by four State agencies in the district till April 27. District Magistrate Chob Singh Verma has instructed SDMs to personally monitor the illegal trade of wheat, which is being smuggled to Delhi.
In Gonda-Balrampur,
which had reported massive wheat smuggling to Nepal and Bangaldesh, face shortage at government centers. While private agencies have been lifting large quantities of wheat, there is only a long wait for the officers at government centers.
