Government procurement of rabi crops is going to start in Punjab around 10 April. But the Center and the Punjab government are face to face with regard to the issue of direct payment.
The Center and the Punjab government are face to face on the issue of direct payment to farmers.
Government procurement of rabi crops is going to start in Punjab around 10 April. But the Center and the Punjab government are face to face with regard to the issue of direct payment. No solution has yet been reached on this issue between the two. In such a situation, it is also being feared that there may be a delay in purchasing the crop. The agents are opposing this decision of the Central Government, even the beneficiary farmers are not in favor of it.
In fact, recently the Ministry of Consumer and Food had written a letter to the Punjab government that this time it will be mandatory for farmers to make payment through DBT on the government purchase of wheat. Apart from this, Minister Piyush Goyal also said that the revenue department should make the land records available on the purchase portal.
Punjab Government Demand – Decision to be postponed for one year
The state government refused to accept this decision of the central government. The Punjab government wants to defer direct payment for a year and has sought time to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue. At the same time, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu has questioned the timing of the letter. He alleged that the central government wants to provoke the farmers and is trying to spoil the law and order in the state.
Agent is in opposition
The central government is opposing this decision of the central government the most. They allege that the government wants to ruin the APMC mandi and is desperate to give it in private hands. He says that this system has been working for 50 years and the farmers also have no problem with it. The organization of adhatiyas is preparing to protest against this decision of the central government.
Farmer leaders are also against direct payment
Balbir Singh Rajewal, president of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Rajewal), is also against it. They allege that this decision of the Central Government is not in the interest of the farmers of the state. According to the news of Business Line, Rajewal said that this decision of the government will make the process of selling crops in the market cumbersome for the farmers. Whenever the farmer goes to sell the crop in the mandi, he will have to show the papers of the land. In Punjab, 40 per cent of the land is rented for rent. In such a situation, those who do farming will not get the benefit.
The central government has said that farmers should contract with the landowners to get the benefit of DBT. On this, Rajewal says that by doing this, the owners of the land fear that for a long time, the owner of the cultivator by renting their land will lose their ownership. At the same time, many farmers are also questioning the timing of this decision. He says that the government wants to implement this decision in the middle of the farmer movement. The farmers say that the government should give at least 6 months time before such a big change.
Why are you protesting?
In fact, when a farmer goes to sell his crop in the mandi, he works to get the crop weighed, stuffed in sacks and sold. They are considered to be the link between the government and the farmers. Whenever farmers have to buy fertilizer, seeds, pesticides or other things, then they take loan from the jobbers and run their work. Therefore, when payments were made to the farmers through adhatiyas, then they used to give their commission and arrears to the farmer. Now the concern of the factors is that when the farmers are paid directly, then we will have to pay for our money.
How was this issue resolved in Haryana?
In Haryana, Aadhatiya was angered by the direct payment decision. But the government there found a middle way. Manohar Lal Khattar’s government waived 40 percent interest on the default amount and the punitive interest 100 percent on the defaulters under the ‘resolution of disputes’ scheme. Under this, the adhatis will get a benefit of Rs 370 crores. However, the Punjab government is not in favor of finding a middle ground and says that the government should postpone the decision for at least a year.
Also read- All states should get equal wages under MNREGA, Standing Parliamentary Committee advocates
.
