CG govt to launch new Rs 2500 per quintal scheme for paddy

The Chhattisgarh government will launch a new scheme to pay Rs 2500 per quintal to farmers for procuring paddy, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

He was answering to the discussions on the demand proposals for the second supplementary budget for financial year 2019-20 in the House.

"Justice will be meted out to the farmers. My government is standing with them with clear intentions," he said.

After discussion, the budget provisions worth over Rs 4546 crore for the second supplementary budget 2019-20 were passed with a voice vote.

With the passage of the second supplementary budget, the size of the main budget for the financial year 2019-20 has swelled to Rs 1,04,787 crore.

A new scheme will be launched to provide Rs 2500 per quintal to farmers against paddy procurement as per the Congress' poll promise, Baghel said.

The minimum support price for paddy will be given to farmers as per the rate fixed by the Centre (Rs 1815 per quintal for common grade paddy and Rs 1835 per quintal for Grade A paddy) while in order to pay the farmers the difference amount to make it Rs 2500 per quintal, a new scheme will be initiated, he added.

"A five-member cabinet sub-committee has been constituted for studying into as to how complete Rs 2500 per quintal benefit could be ensured to farmers. The committee will be submitting its report ahead of the forthcoming budget session. Thereafter, the state government will be initiating the new scheme to benefit the farmers," Baghel said.

Along with the notified MSP, the difference amount will also be transferred into the farmers' account, he added.

In order to ensure that no payment remains due against farmers, the state government has made a provision of Rs 210 crore in the second supplementary budget, he added.

He said a provision of Rs 5 crore has been made for developing the Ram Van Gaman Path to attract tourists while a concept plan of Rs 92 crore has been prepared for the same project.

Swami Vivekananda had spent time in Raipur from 1877 to 1879 at Dey Bhawan, which will be developed as Swami Vivekananda Memorial Institute, for which a provision of Rs 1 crore has been made, he said.

Earlier, the opposition BJP legislators targeted the ruling Congress over several issues, including paddy procurement, while taking part in the discussion over the second supplementary budget.

Meanwhile, former minister and BJP MLA Ajay Chandrakar's comment on the Congress party while participating in the discussion led to an uproar in the House, with the ruling party members seeking his apology, which he obliged.

Subsequently, when Chandrakar was continuing with his speech, he was interrupted by a Congress MLA.

BJP members then boycotted the proceedings and walked out from the House alleging that they were frequently interrupted during their speech by ruling party members.