In an endeavor to placate farmers agitating versus three farm-relevant legislations, the Centre has decided to progress paddy procurement in the 2020-21 Kharif advertising and marketing year (KMS) in Punjab and Haryana.
In an formal assertion issued below on Saturday, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and General public Distribution said it would begin procurement of paddy in the two north Indian States from Saturday, forward of Oct one, the day established for commencing procurement throughout the nation in any other case.
“…in watch of early arrival of paddy in the mandis of Haryana and Punjab. Authorities of India has appeared the commencement of procurement functions for paddy/rice right away in equally these States from currently, i.e. with impact from twenty sixth September 2020 to be certain that farmers are facilitated in marketing their deliver at Minimum Support Cost (MSP) expeditiously,” the ministry assertion said.
Noticeably, these two States have been witnessing maximum protest versus the farm Bills in the final number of days. In Punjab for instance, the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh committee, which spearheading the protests in the State considering that Thursday, has decided to extend its rail roko agitation until September 29.
“This is undoubtedly a transfer to placate the agitating farmers. These two States have been looking at the maximum protests. But there is no hurt in advancing the commencement of procurement as paddy arrivals commence commonly by September 15,” said Devinder Sharma, an agricultural policy pro.
The authorities has by now declared early this month that it would procure around 495 lakh tonnes of rice, virtually 20 for each cent far more than the 416 lakh tonnes concentrate on established for the 2019-20 KMS.
