Chhattisgarh CM promises higher paddy MSP

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said his government will launch a new scheme to provide Rs 2500 per quintal to farmers while procuring paddy.

His comments came a day after he announced that the state will procure paddy from December 1 at Rs 1,815 per quintal for common grade, and at Rs 1,835 for grade A.

The Opposition said his stand was a departure from his 2018 poll promise of buying paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal.

“A five-member committee has been constituted to study how Rs 2,500 per quintal benefit could be ensured to farmers. The committee will submit its report ahead of the upcoming budget session and thereafter new scheme will be formed,” said Baghel in the state assembly on

Wednesday.

The minimum support price for paddy will be given to farmers as per the rate fixed by the Centre, while a new scheme will be initiated in order to pay the farmers the difference amount to make it Rs 2500 per quintal, he clarified.

On Monday, Baghel said the state government is committed to fulfilling all pre-poll promises made to farmers, and blamed the central government for not agreeing to the state’s demand for increasing the MSP to Rs 2,500 per quintal.

But the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it will hold protests across Chhattisgarh against the government’s decision to procure paddy at the MSP fixed by the Centre.

Reacting to the decision, former chief minister and BJP national vice-president Raman Singh said the Congress government betrayed the farmers by not procuring paddy at the rate promised during polls.

“The BJP, along with the farmers of the state, will protest at 1,380 paddy procurement centres of the state on December 1 and will also submit a memorandum to the government,” Singh said.

Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) president Amit Jogi too said Baghel have fooled the peopled of the state.