RAIPUR: Opposition Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh has alleged the state government has tricked and cheated the farmers for not complying what were promised to them on the paddy procurement ahead of 2018 Assembly elections.
BJP’s Chhattisgarh state in-charge Anil Jain stated that the Congress had spoken a lie to the agrarian community to win the polls.
“To procure paddy at Rs 2500 per quintal and offer a two-year bonus to paddy growers has turned out to be promises only on paper. There is neither any clear vision nor economic management displayed by the ruling party to accomplish the pledges Congress made to the farmers. Owing to inefficient leadership the state government is now trying to put the blame on the Centre”, Jain asserted.
Chhattisgarh government in the ongoing Assembly had declared that the paddy will be procured at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1835 per quintal during the current kharif season.
The chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said that his government will explore ways to compensate the farmers the remaining amount of Rs 665 to be paid next year.
The Congress government had promised to provide farmers Rs 2500 per quintal of paddy, which was also part of its manifesto.
“There will be a sub-committee of the Cabinet soon to study on how the difference between the announced MSP and the MSP that was promised could be extended to the paddy growers”, the CM said.
According to the chief minister the committee might take around two months to come up with a plan to give the bonus to the farmers.
The opposition BJP criticised the Congress for deviating from what has been promised to the farmers.
“The fate of the upcoming committee will be like the committee promised by the state government on imposing liquor ban in the state. We will hold demonstration in every 1380 paddy procurement centres on December 1 and strongly demand the MSP of Rs 2500 per quintal”, said the former chief minister Raman Singh. The BJP will also hand over the memorandum to the Governor.