Give relief to farmers now, not in instalments: BJP
The Chhattisgarh government should immediately provide relief to farmers keeping in view the upcoming kharif season by releasing the total promised amount in a single lot instead of in four instalments, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Dharamal Kaushik demanded on Sunday.
Addressing the media through video-conferencing, the BJP leader said: “Farmers are not seeking any additional plea. But what has been pledged to them should be released. Otherwise it would amount to injustice to the farmers under the government’s ‘NYAY’ scheme.”
He said that farmers had registered 25.28 lakh hectare area for paddy. “Had the procurement been done properly, around Rs 3,000 crore would have gone to the farmers.”
But paddy has not been procured from even those given token till February 19, 2020, he said.
Kaushik charged that the state government announced it would procure maize at Rs 1,760 per quintal at minimum support price (MSP) through Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies (LAMPS) but it was not done. Farmers were forced to sell maize at Rs 1,150 per quintal in the open market.
Similarly, in MSP procurement of sugarcane, the difference amount of Rs 57 crore of 12,000 farmers based in Kawardha and Rs 15 crore of 6,000 farmers in Pandaria are still pending.
In addition, the bonus to the farmers has not been released, the BJP leader said.
He said the amount was released the previous time after farmers agitated. Is the government waiting for another agitation?
The BJP leader said that recruitment process of regular teachers (2019) was completed and a merit list published after verification of documents. But till date no appointment has taken place.
