Alleging rising resentment among farmers, Chhattisgarh BJP President Vishnudeo Sai on Tuesday asked the government to step in at the earliest to provide immediate relief for smooth procurement of paddy.
Sai said in a statement that the farmers in Gariaband citing non-payment after paddy procurement had resorted to road blockade. He said the Union government had released Rs 9,000 crore to the state for paddy procurement.
Then why the delay in release of payment within 72 hours, he asked.
Sai pointed out that the Centre had announced a hike in procurement of rice for Central pool quota from Chhattisgarh, with the release of funds of Rs 9,000 crore. Against this backdrop, the farmers are being misled by the state government by blaming the central government for the problems in the paddy procurement centres.
On the issue of shortage of gunny bags, Sai said the state government will reimburse Rs 15 per sack while farmers procured them from the market at Rs 25-30.