Cong stages walk-out in C'garh Assembly

The Opposition Congress staged a walkout from the Chhattisgarh Assembly today over alleged irregularities in paddy procurement.
Congress legislators also slammed Food and Civil Supply minister Punnulal Mohile's statement that the state government did not have a fixed target for paddy procurement.
Raising the issue during Question Hour, Congress MLA Mahant Ramsundar Das sought to know the government's target to procure paddy from November 2012 to January 2013 at support price and steps taken to ensure its packaging and transportation.
In his reply, the Minister said that there was no target fixed for paddy procurement.
He told the Assembly that the state government had given loan of Rs 600 crore to the Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Marketing Federation to buy paddy sacks and arrangements were made for paddy procurement.

Das, however, said that due to lack of transportation and paddy sacks at procurement centres, weighing of paddy was not done till January and paddy was not procured till date at several centres.

Joining him on the issue, former chief minister Ajit Jogi said that the government had mismanaged the process of paddy procurement.
Minister Mohile, however, maintained that there was some delay at few centres due to problems with computers installed at procurement centres but there was no irregularity in paddy procurement.
Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey alleged that the government's claim on paddy procurement was devoid of facts and demanded action against officials concerned for alleged irregularities.

The minster dismissed the Opposition charges and said he will direct officials to see if paddy was yet to be procured at some places and take action accordingly.
Unsatisfied over his answer, the Congress members staged a walkout.