Asim admits irregularities in purchase of potatoes

Admitting irregularities in purchase of potatoes last year, West Bengal finance minister Asim Dasgupta said that farmers would be given due price for the commodity, and errant traders would be fined by the state.

In view of surplus potato production last year, the state government had procured about potatoes from farmers at Rs 3.50 per kg.

A probe into potato procurement was ordered after complaints that agencies like Benfed, Confed and West Bengal Essential Commodities Supply Corporation (WBECSC), who had been asked to buy potatoes directly from the farmers, bought it from cold storage owners or agents, who in turn paid less to farmers.

Irregularities had been found in less than 10 per cent cases of potato procurement, said Asim Dasgupta, state finance minister on the sidelines of an event here today

Also, the state is planning to release about 10 lakh tonne, procured by the state agencies, to bring down prices of potato.

The government will sell half the stored potatoes to traders, while the rest will be released through the public distribution system,.

Earlier, the West Bengal Cold Storage Owners’ Association had said that the Bengal government was responsible for the current rise in potato prices.

Around 58 lakh tonnes of potatoes have been stored in 402 cold storages across the state.

This apart, the state government was contemplating reduction in electricity duty, said Dasgupta.

“Some relief could be given to industrial units, through reduction in electricity duty,' he said.

Dasgupta further said that there was a need for adequate compensation to farmers and dialogue before land acquisition. He said, except in cases of Singur and Nandigram, there had been hardly any major problems with land acquisition in West Bengal,

“We need to take a flexible approach. There had been problems in less than one per cent cases,” said Dasgupta.

Also, there was a need for fair allocation of resources like coal and iron ore among states, he said.