Chhattisgarh: Congress stages walkout over paddy procurement

The main opposition Congress today staged a walkout in the Chhattisgarh Assembly alleging irregularities in paddy procurement at cooperative societies in Sarguja division of the state.
Raising the issue through a calling attention motion, Congress MLA from Bhatgaon seat (Surajpur district) Parasnath Rajwade said, paddyfrom the bordering state was illegally sold at procurement centres of Surajpur and Balrampur-Ramanujgaj districts in Sarguja division (northern part) of Chhattisgarh.
Against the state government's policy to procure paddy for a minimum support price for Kharif crop year 2016-17, managers of paddy procurement societies in several districts have showed paddy purchase from landless farmers, he said.

Citing example Rajwade said, Ram Uday Singh, son of Jagnarayan Singh and Shivkumari wife of Chunnilal Sahu, both from village Kamalpur, are marginal farmers and the paddy produced in their fields is used to fulfill their own needs, but in the society records 262 quintal paddy has been procured from Ram Uday while 50 quintal paddy was procured from Shivkumari.
The Congress member also cited several other similar examples to support his allegations.
He further alleged that the cooperative society manager from Raghunath Nagar, Balangi himself had sold 350 sacks of paddy to the society through two different registrations.

On a complaint from local people, the Tehsildar had seized a truck which was illegally transporting paddy at the behest of the said society manager, he alleged.

A written complaint has been made to sub-divisional
officer (SDO) Wadrafnagar in this connection, Rajwade added.
Refuting the charges, state's Cooperatives Minister Dayaldas Baghel said, it is not correct that paddy from bordering state was illegally sold at procurement centres of the Surajpur and Balrampur districts.
Ram Uday Singh had produced 296 quintal paddy from 8 hectares land while Shivkumari had produced 55.20 quintals of paddy from 1.50 hectares of land, the minister said, adding that similarly, other farmers whose names had been mentioned had sold legitimate quantity of paddy to the society.
Society Manager mentioned in the question Benimadhav Gupta who has 5.80 hectare agriculture land in Kamalpur comes under purview of Balangi cooperative society, had sold 214 quintal paddy while former society manager Kamlesh Gupta having 2 hectare agriculture land in village Tugwa had sold 72 quintal paddy.

His land also comes under the jurisdiction of Balangi society.
Both have registration in the said society, the minister said.
However, it is correct that on the complaint of local people, paddy loaded in truck which was stationed in front of Dharamchand's house in Kamalpur was seized on suspicion and handed over to the police station, he added.
The complaint regarding loan issue is also being investigated by SDO Wadrafnagar.
The paddy procured by Balangi cooperative society has been transported to collection center and no paddy is left with the society, the minister said.
Countering the reply, state Congress chief and senior MLA Bhupesh Baghel and other party MLAs demanded an enquiry into procurement of paddy allegedly from landless farmers.

Minister Baghel again refuted the charges and said, no such procurement has been done adding that if any specific complaint is given he's ready to undertake probe.
Unsatisfied with his reply, the opposition Congress staged walkout in the House.