Pay compensation on MSP basis, says Hooda

Leader of opposition in Haryana assembly Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday sought compensation for farm produce damaged recently due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm on the basis of minimum support price (MSP).

The former chief minister, while talking to mediapersons, said the state government should quickly assess the loss suffered by farmers and compensate them on the basis of Rabi MSP and not by the size of landholdings.

“After all the farmers have suffered heavy losses in terms of devastation to standing crops,” Hooda said.

The Congress leader said the farmer was falling into a debt trap due to the government’s indifference.

“What has hurt the farmer the most is the fact that the survey to assess losses has not been carried out for the last spell of unseasonal rain. A fresh spell of rain has added to their misery. Standing wheat crop, mustard, gram and vegetables has suffered up to 100% loss in many districts. The government should wake up and immediately come to the rescue of farmers,” he said.

Hooda also demanded that the BJP-JJP government issue a white paper on the increasing debt liability of the state and tell the people where all this money has been spent. Attacking the coalition government, he said the gravity attached to governance by the alliance partners can be gauged from the fact that the two allies are yet to give a final shape to their common minimum programme (CMP). “All they (BJP and JJP) were interested in was to form a government somehow and relish the fruits of power. Public interest and welfare is a low priority area for them. The coalition has failed to fulfil its poll promises. What happened their over-hyped 75% reservation for local candidates in the private sector jobs? The ₹250 increase in the old-age pension is a cruel joke. And the farm loan waiver is nowhere on the government’s agenda,’’ Hooda said.