SDM panel finds 85,000 quintals of bajra unsold in Jhajjar markets

Tribune News Service

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Jhajjar, October 24

A district-level officers committee led by the Jhajjar SDM today found over 85,000 quintals of bajra lying unsold at the Jhajjar, Matanhel and Dhakla grain markets in the district.

Deputy Commissioner Sonal Goel had constituted the committee yesterday following the directives of the Additional Chief Secretary (Food and Supply) to ascertain the total unsold bajra lying the mandis of the district.

“An estimated 58,000 quintals of bajra is lying unsold in the Jhajjar grain market, 22,000 and 5,000 quintals in the Matanhel and Dhakla grain markets, respectively. We have also got a video film of all mandis made for proof,” said one of the committee members. The report had been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner.

He said the government agencies had so far procured 76,120 quintals of bajra at the minimum support price (MSP) in the district. “While 43,700 quintals have been bought in Jhajjar and 14,050 quintals in Dhakla, 18,370 quintals have been procured in the Matanhel grain market,” he added.

Meanwhile, bajra could not be procured today despite an assurance from Agriculture Minister Om Prakash Dhankar to a delegation of local commission agents, who called on him in Chandigarh yesterday.

“The minister has played a cruel joke on us as well as farmers by not fulfilling his promise of restarting procurement of bajra today. We were hopeful that bajra would be purchased and waited for it the whole day, but in vain,” said Harender Silana, a protesting commission agent. He said they would not end their agitation until the entire bajra crop lying in the market was procured. Notably, an indefinite relay fast being observed by commission agents and farmers continued for the seventh day on Tuesday.

Ashok Sharma, DFSO, Jhajjar, said they had not yet received any order for the resumption of bajra procurement.