The Centre’s decision asking the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to stop purchasing food grains from Punjab, besides Haryana, has not gone down well with the State. Even as Haryana has already given its nod to the Centre’s direction, the Punjab Government, on the other hand, asked for withdrawal of procurement by the FCI “in a phased manner”.
The main opposition, the Congress, has maintained that the move would “sound death knell for the already strained agriculture economy in the State”.
Centre’s decision, based on the recommendations of the Shanta Kumar-led FCI Restructuring panel, was on the grounds that procurement system in States like Punjab and Haryana is fully developed. The panel has recommended shifting procurement in eastern States like Bihar.
Union Food Secretary Sudhir Kumar said the procurement would be withdrawn in consultation with the State Governments.
FCI procures less than 50 per cent from Punjab, 25 per cent from Haryana out of total procurement in both the state. Both states contribute three-fourth of the total procurement.
The eight-member panel, set up in August 2014 under the chairmanship of BJP MP Shanta Kumar to recommend FCI’s complete overhaul, had submitted its report last month. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked the Union Food Ministry to give its views on the report at the earliest.
At the same time, warning against the proposal to reduce wheat procurement in Punjab by 50 per cent, Congress Deputy leader in the lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh has asked the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to urgently take up the matter with the Prime Minister and ensure that the farmers do not suffer and they do not have to go for the distress sale.
“This is the most callous proposal by the FCI to stop purchasing wheat in Punjab and Haryana,” he said in a strongly worded statement, adding, “just because your food stocks are sufficient, you cannot let down the farmers who ensured your food security and leave them in the lurch now”. The former Chief Minister hoped that this anti-farmer proposal, that will undermine the rural and agrarian economy in two northern states, is reconsidered as it will eventually affect the food security which has been achieved after so many efforts by the farmers from these two states.
Capt Amarinder suggested that in case the Centre wants to promote agriculture diversification and discourage farmers from wheat-paddy cycle, “they should better incentivize other crops by offering MSP for such crops and not virtually withdraw it from the existing crops”.
At the same time, Capt Amarinder, who is also All India Jat Maha Sabha president, declared that the Sabha would launch agitation across the state against the Centre’s this move and the land acquisition law.
“The true colours of BJP-led NDA Government, of which SAD is a part and parcel, are coming out with its repeated anti-farmer measures and proposals...First it was saturating of farmer friendly land acquisition act which had been passed by the Congress government last year and now it has decided to stop procurement of wheat in Punjab and Haryana,” said Capt Amarinder.
He said, in the first phase, the Jat Maha Sabha will hold demonstrations at the district headquarters across the state which would be followed by state-level protest demonstration.