The Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Monday targeted the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP government in Punjab over the issue of procurement of moong. The Opposition parties alleged that the government failed to keep its promise of procuring a substantial quantity of moong at the minimum support price (MSP). Former deputy CM and SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) government failed farmers for the second time in a row with moong growers being forced to opt for distress sale of their produce. Calling for the immediate purchase of moong by government agencies at an MSP of Rs 7,755 per quintal, he also demanded that the government compensate farmers who suffered losses by selling their produce to private traders at rates lower than the MSP. “Last year, farmers sowed moong following a personal appeal by CM Bhagwant Mann and an assurance that their produce would be procured at MSP. However, the government procured only 17 per cent of the total produce… leading to huge losses for farmers,” said Badal. Claiming that the situation was even worse this year, he said: “This season, government purchases are 77 per cent less than last year. Government agencies have purchased only 2,280 quintals of moong till now compared to 9,902 quintals purchased during the same period last year.” The SAD chief added that this has happened despite 42 mandis being notified for procurement of moong. Continuing his attack on the government, Badal said: “Private traders have purchased as much as 1.47 lakh quintals of moong from mandis in the state till now. The farmers were forced to sell their produce for around Rs 1,000 per quintal less than the MSP of Rs 7,755 per quintal.” He said the Mann government had also announced that maize and sunflower would be procured at MSP, so farmers had increased the acreage under these crops. “Now, when the time has come to procure the produce, the AAP government has run away from its responsibility. Even maize farmers have been left in the lurch. Against the MSP of Rs 2,090 per quintal, maize was sold at Rs 1,900 per quintal recently,” he claimed. Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa also slammed the administration over the ‘low procurement’ of moong and maize by government agencies. “Private players purchased the crop (moong) for Rs 6,800 to Rs 7,000 a quintal, which is way below the MSP of Rs 7,755. Farmers in some districts got only Rs 5,800 per quintal for their produce,” he said. “Last year, moong growers were forced to sell 85 per cent of their produce below the MSP. Punjab CM has again backstabbed the farmers as he failed to keep his word,” Bajwa added. He said the AAP government has been creating hype around crop diversification and a new farmers’ policy. “Yet, from how the AAP government dealt with the agriculture sector and farmers, it didn’t seem to be serious about alleviating the plights of the farming sector that has already been reeling under a crisis,” he added.
