Chhattisgarh CM to protest in Delhi as Centre refuses demand to procure additional rice from state

india

Updated: Nov 05, 2019 22:50 IST

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel will be protesting in New Delhi on November 15 against the Central government’s decision not to increase procurement of rice for the central pool from the state.

After an all-party meeting, which was not attended by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Baghel said the BJP should clarify its stand on whether farmers should get Rs 2,500 per quintal for paddy or not.

Citing the letter of Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ram Vilas Paswan, over the issue, the CM said union government is biased towards Chhattisgarh and has therefore rejected the state’s demand to procure additional rice for the central pool.

Chhattisgarh government had demanded that the Centre should increase the paddy procurement quota of the state for the central pool from existing 2.4 million tonnes (MT) to 3.2 million tonnes.

“In the leadership of Chhattisgarh Congress president and CM Bhupesh Baghel, about 30,000 party workers, along with MLAs and MPs, will reach Delhi by road route to protest against union government over the issue of paddy procurement,” said RP Singh Congress spokesperson.

In the letter addressed to Chhattisgarh government, Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that the rice stocking and trade agreement with WTO compels union government for not purchasing additional rice.

“For the financial year 2019-20, central government increased the minimum support price (MSP) to 1815 per quintal (common grade) and 1835 for grade A. This year we are expecting good rice crop and about 416 lakh million tonne (LMT) rice would be stocked. With this expected good purchase storage and liquidation of rice will be a serious problem. Also, the liquidation of additional rice is very less and due to agreement with world trade organization (WTO), the public stock cannot be exported,” the union minister stated in his letter.

Former chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh said: “The union government is saying that additional procurement of additional rice in the central pool distorts market and increases the rates of food grain…When the rules were not relaxed during the BJP regime in state then why should it be changed now?”

He refused to comment on Paswan’s letter.