Haryana: Swaraj India threatens to launch stir over bajra procurement

Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav on Thursday threatened to launch an agitation against the BJP-led Haryana government next month if it fails to procure "each grain of bajra" at minimum support price (MSP).

Besides, Yadav also demanded that the government fully compensates the paddy, cotton and bajra farmers whose crops was damaged in the recent heavy rains in the state.

"Bajra crop has started arriving in mandis but no guidelines have yet been issued by the state government with regard to procurement of the crop. Farmers are still unaware on what conditions their crop will be purchased," Yadav told reporters here.

The state's agriculture minister had said in Haryana Vidhan Sabha that each grain of bajra crop will be bought, he said.

"But now the government has announced to buy only one lakh metric tonne of the crop at MSP of Rs 1,950 per quintal out of the expected output of 6.20 lakh MT and rest of the crop will purchased under Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana, which is a failed plan," he added.

The Swaraj India chief claimed that farmers would not gain much with the purchase of their produce under Bhavantar Bharpayee Yojana as the model rate under this scheme had been fixed in such a way that they are paid less.

He alleged that by going back on its promise, the government had shown that it was anti-farmer.

The current rate of bajra is Rs 1,250 per quintal against the MSP of Rs 1,950 per quintal, Yadav claimed.

"If bajra crop is not purchased at MSP starting from October 1, we will launch a state-wide agitation commencing from Rewari and we will shut down the mandis," he warned.

Yadav also demanded that directions be issued to insurance companies to compensate the farmers affected by the rains.

Most farmers in Haryana are still not aware which are the insurance companies operating in their areas under the Fasal Bima Yojana. Sometimes the claims of farmers are rejected by companies on technical grounds, he said.

Yadav also accused Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government of amending the Land Acquisition Act with regard to provisions of denotification of acquired land.

This, he said, would go against the land owners.

By amending the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Haryana Amendment) Act, 2017, the government can denotify the acquired land if it finds it unviable and seek return of compensation from the land owners, he claimed.

Yadav said Swaraj India will take a call on contesting Lok Sabha elections after its national conference on October 3.