Chaudhary demands immediate lifting of wheat from grain markets
Sunday, 26/04/2015
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=129774&boxid=59440&uid=&dat=2015-04-26
Jalandhar : Local MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary visited various grain markets of Jalandhar, Goraya, Phillaur, Lasara and Apra to check the ground realities regarding procurement of the wheat and the problems faced by the farmers with regard to sale of their produce.
The MP, accompanied by his son and Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) president Vikramjit Singh Chaudhary, said that pro-farmer face of the Centre and the state government was exposed, as the government has not made any policy on lifting of wheat from the mandis, while no tenders were called till date.
Chaudhary Santokh said that unless the moisture content decreased, the farmers would not be in a position to sell their produce. He assured the farmers that the he would raise this issue in the Parliament.
The MP visited Grain Market Jalandhar, where he expressed concern over the helplessness faced by the farmers as they were waiting for the last 10 days for the procurement of their produce. “None of the government agencies have come forward to procure wheat due to the ambiguous and lacklustre polices of the SAD-BJP government in the state,” he said.
“Hundreds of quintals of wheat produce were being rejected by the agencies due to higher moisture factor. Thousands of quintals of the wheat was lying open in the grain market and the farmers were having anxious moments due to the uncertainty of the weather which has again indicated rain in coming days,” he said.
The MP maintained that wheat lifting by Pungrain and Punsup was zero per cent till date, while that of Markfed was only 31 per cent. “Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal should personally go Delhi and insist upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately provide relaxations in the specifications and release comprehensive package for the farmers,” he said.
Earlier, the MP said that though the SAD-BJP government has stated that the difference in the amount for MSP shall be paid by the state government, but the CM had not specified from where that amount will come. “Unless the Centre gave any package, the farmers of the state would not be in a position to get any benefits,” he maintained.
