Amarinder gifts Rs 30, but in 3 steps

Following an all-party meeting on the paddy procurement issue, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that the state wou...

Following an all-party meeting on the paddy procurement issue, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that the state would pay Rs 30 as bonus per quintal on paddy procured last year.

However, at the same time, he declared that the state treasury was in the danger of ‘‘defaulting’’ for the first time and the government had no money, he detailed the Rs 30 bonus, which would be staggered in three instalments of Rs 10 each. ‘‘It would cost the state Rs 338 crore — Rs 10 would be paid now, Rs 10 in April and the last instalment of Rs 10 in October next year. The farmers have their J-forms from last year and the payment would be made on that basis,’’ he said. He clarified that the bonus would be paid by the state and would not be reimbursed by the Centre. He also said the state was getting Rs 5,000 crore from banks for procurement of paddy on behalf of the FCI for this season.

Jogi to take paddy woes to PM

RAIPUR: After Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, it’s now the turn of his Chhattisgarh counterpart, Ajit Jogi, to take his paddy troubles to the Centre.

Story continues below this ad

Jogi will be taking a delegation comprising of his Ministers and MLAs to Delhi tomorrow to meet Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee to apprise him of the matter. MPs from the state and Congress leaders from Delhi are also expected to join the delegation in the Capital.

Before meeting the Prime Minister, Jogi plans to hold a Cabinet meeting at Chhattisgarh Bhawan in Delhi and adopt a resolution urging the Centre to direct the FCI to buy paddy from his state.
‘‘Last year, we had to arrange special loans from the RBI to buy paddy from our farmers after the Centre refused to step in. The state suffered a loss of over Rs 300 crore due to this. I can’t afford the loss this time,’’ says Jogi. (ENS)

He said farmers expected that recognising their difficulties, the Centre would increase the MSP by Rs 200 per quintal. ‘‘In addition to enhanced MSP, farmers had also expected announcement of a Rs 100 per quintal as bonus,’’ he added.

Countering the criticism by CPI state general secretary Dr Dayal that the state’s procurement agencies could have stepped in after September 21, he said the government could not do this on its own unless the MSP was announced and the money from the banks was released for procurement.

Story continues below this ad

He said that he had directed all SHOs through the SSPs of the districts not to arrest any farmer at the behest of the arhtiyas seeking recovery of loans. ‘‘The cases against the farmers will continue but there will be no arrests or humiliation of farmers,’’ he announced.