Panchayats, farmer bodies to replace striking arhtiyas

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 22

Now, panchayats andfarmer producer organisations (FPO) will also act as commission agents for the procurement of crops in Haryana and earn money for them in the process.

With arhtiyas trying to disrupt the procurement of rabi crop by resorting to strike in some districts of the state, the Haryana Government has decided to get tough with them and started giving trading licences to panchayats and FPOs for the smooth procurement of wheat.

Sanjeev Kaushal, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Haryana, said: “Panchayats have enough labour for MGNREGA works. In view of the traders’ strike, some divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners have roped in panchayats to step in as commission agents. Similarly, some FPOs, which are basically bodies for marketing of farmers’ produce, have also come forward for this purpose.”

Kaushal, who along with ACS, Food and Supplies Department, PK Das held a virtual meeting with arhtiyas from across the state, said most of them had assured him that they were not supporting the strike.

“Their main grouse was that they are not being involved in the issuance of schedule of farmers to be called to the grain markets on a given day. We have addressed this demand and now the market committee officials will prepare a schedule by taking their union leaders into confidence,” Kaushal added.

He said the procurement was going on smoothly and by 5 pm on Wednesday, 2.57 lakh MT of wheat had been procured. “With 1.03 lakh MT procurement on the first day and 1.83 lakh MT on Tuesday, a total of 5.43 lakh MT of wheat has been procured so far,” Kaushal said, adding this was more than the normal period.

Most of the striking arhtiyas are from Rohtak, Sonepat, Jind and Panipat districts, who are opposing the e-procurement policy of the government. They are also opposing the condition that only those farmers who have registered themselves on “Meri Fasal Mera Beyora” portal be allowed to sell their crops.

Cong expresses concern

Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday said he had discussed the “crop purchase crisis” with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and the latter had assured its early resolution.

Hooda alleged that the speed at which the government was buying the wheat in the state, it would takeat least 3 to 4 monthsand the process would go on till August. “The purchase of mustard is even slower and less than 15 per cent of the yield has been purchased in a week. The farmer is worried on how they will sow the next crop,” he added.

State Congress president Kumaro Selja and AICC communication incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala too expressed concern over the arhtiyas’ strike and allowing panchayats to purchase wheat.

Selja said for years, the purchase and payment of the crop of farmers had been done through ahrtiyas and it was being sold in the mandis at an open price.

“Farmers, traders and arhtiyas are repenting the day they voted for the BJP. CM, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala are making all efforts to break the bond between farmers and arhtiyas,” Surjewala said.