After Bhupesh Bhagel Government’s allegations, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Sunday said that some States including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were found to be giving incentive so the Central Government procurement was restricted to quantity which was procured in the past without bonus/incentive.
It has been decided to allow 24 lakh MT of rice to be delivered to Food Corporation of India (FCI) under central pool during the kharif marketing year 2020-21 which is equivalent to the quantity as allowed in previous years.
“Central Government is following a uniform policy and supporting farmers across the Country. Same is followed in Chhattisgarh procurement. During KMS 2020-21, the Government of Chhattisgarh had also published an advertisement/press release on 17.12.2020 detailing the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana that they will procure paddy from the farmers @Rs 2500/- per quintal during KMS 2020-21 by paying Rs 10,000/- per acre which is a form of indirect incentive over and above the MSP which is as good as bonus on procurement of paddy,” it said.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had on Thursday spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone and informed him about the delay in permission for paddy procurement in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21.
In a letter to PM Modi, Baghel had said the Centre had given “in-principle approval” for depositing 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice in the central pool after the custom milling of paddy procured from the farmers of the state in the Kharif marketing season.
“Following the approval, the State Government started purchasing paddy on minimum support price (MSP) from December 1 and till now, about 47 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured from 12 lakh farmers. But necessary permission for delivery of rice after custom milling of the purchased paddy to the FCI for the central pool is still awaited from the Centre’s Food and Public Distribution Department,” the letter stated.
As per the latest data by the Ministry, the Government bought a record 498.95 lakh MT of paddy in its ongoing procurement operations, 24.49 per cent more than it did last year. Out of the total purchase of 498.95 LMT, Punjab alone has contributed 202.77 LMT which is 40.64 per cent of total procurement, followed by Haryana and UP.
“About 64.07 lakh paddy farmers have benefitted from KMS procurement Operations with MSP value of Rs 94,202.64 crore. A quantity of 75,78,832 cotton bales valuing Rs 22,208.01 crore procured benefitting 14,81,064 farmers,” it said.
Accusing the Centre of showing “apathy” towards farmers, the Congress on Sunday said the Food Corporation of India’s Chhattisgarh unit was not lifting the rice stocks.