BJP pushing farmers into losses: Bhupinder Singh Hooda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28

Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has said the BJP government is deliberately pushing farmers into losses. He said the government did not start purchasing mustard, despite repeated demands.

“Even at isolated places where government agencies have reached, purchases are being refused on the pretext of moisture. Due to this, the private agencies are buying the crops at throwaway prices. Under compulsion, the farmers have to sell their crops at a rate Rs 900-1000 below the MSP,” he stated.Hooda said the arrival of mustard in the markets had been going on since last week, but despite this, the government announced the purchase late. “The government is not able to purchase even as per its announcement,” he said.

“Not only this, the farmers have been asked to register on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal. A total of 9.25 lakh farmers had registered crops over 61.45 lakh acres on the portal, but out of this, records of 10.40 lakh acres were found to be mismatched. Unless the complete record is correct, the farmers will not be able to sell their crops. This means that the farmers will have to bear the brunt of the government’s mistake,” he stated.

Hooda has once again demanded the government start the smooth procurement of mustard soon. He said during the Congress tenure, the government used to start purchasing the crops as soon as these reached the market. Due to this, the market rates of the crops were high. Therefore, even the private agencies had to buy the crops at the MSP or higher rates. “The BJP government follows exactly the opposite policy. The procurement is not done by the government. The prices of crops fall in the market. The private agencies take advantage of this and buy at throwaway prices. By the time the government purchasing begins, many farmers have already sold their crops,” he said.

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