Wheat worth crores wasted across state, says MP Selja

Member of Parliament Kumari Selja has raised concerns over the large-scale wastage of wheat stored at government warehouses across Haryana. Highlighting a major case in Karnal where wheat worth Rs 97.50 crores has been ruined due to poor storage, she warned that similar losses could be occurring in other districts too.

In a statement to the media, Selja blamed the government’s administrative negligence for the damage and demanded strict action against responsible officials and employees. She called the wastage an insult to the hard work of farmers and a betrayal of the poor who depended on government food supplies.

Selja claimed that the spoiled wheat in Karnal was stored in five Hafed warehouses after procurement in May 2024. Although wheat is bought at Rs 2,400 per quintal, the total cost with storage goes up to Rs 3,900, making the financial loss even more alarming.

She said in warehouses located in Newal, Assandh, and Nilokheri, nearly 80 per cent of the wheat had become pest-infested and unfit for human consumption. She also mentioned reports of malpractice, such as tampering with wheat bags and spraying water to increase weight actions that contributed to the decay.

“This issue is bigger than Karnal,” Selja said. “If this is happening in one district, how much more is being wasted across Haryana? The government must launch a statewide inspection immediately.”

The MP also criticised the poor handling of this year’s wheat procurement process. Although procurement began on April 1, wheat remains piled up in many markets due to delays in lifting, causing traffic blockages and chaos.