Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Santosh Pandey raised the issue of paddy procurement from farmers on minimum support price, bonus payment to farmers and non-implementation of prohibition in the state in Parliament on Wednesday.
Raising the issue, Pandey said for gaining power, the Congress leaders of state had taken a pledge by taking ‘Ganga Jal’ in hand to procure the paddy from farmers at a rate of Rs 2500 per quintal as minimum support price and also give bonus for last two years. But now after coming to power, the farmers are now feeling duped as the promises were not fulfilled.
On total prohibition in the state, Pandey said instead of implementing prohibition, the rate of liquor has been raised further. The people of the state have handed over the power to Congress with the faith that it would fulfill the promises made to them before election. The farmers are waiting for their yields to be sold but it is being delayed. The middlemen are deriving benefit of this situation but BJP will not allow this to happen, he added.
Every year the paddy was procured from November 15 but the state government has postponed the date to December 1, while government itself is taking action against illegal transportation and stocking of paddy across the state. Due to the delay in procurement the farmers are being forced to sell their paddy at lower price, he added.