Hooda slams BJP govt over ‘imposing new conditions on farmers’

Rohtak: Leader of the opposition in the Haryana assembly, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, on Tuesday said he had been receiving continuous reports from farmers across the state regarding the chaotic conditions prevailing in the mandis.He said instead of procuring wheat and mustard crops at the minimum support price (MSP), the BJP govt was imposing new conditions on farmers daily.The Congress leader was in Bhiwani to pay tributes to former MP Chaudhary Jangbir Singh. He offered floral tributes to the late parliamentarian and met the bereaved family members to offer them solace and support. Talking to the mediapersons, Hooda said, "Farmers find themselves entangled in the bureaucratic maze of fulfilling requirements, such as portal registration, gate passes, guarantors, biometric verification, tractor registration numbers and general verification, and are consequently forced to wait for several days just to sell their produce.""Caught between the govt's oppressive policies on one hand and the vagaries of the weather on the other, farmers are being crushed under the dual burden. Due to incessant unseasonal rains, farmers' standing crops have suffered extensive damage. Under these circumstances, the govt ought to immediately conduct a special girdawari (crop damage assessment) and provide compensation to the affected farmers," said Hooda."Instead of taking such action, ministers within the govt are issuing puerile statements, absurdly claiming that the rainfall will actually lead to an increase in crop yields. The opposition demands that, in addition to the minimum support price (MSP), farmers be provided with a bonus as well," he added.The former CM also stated that the govt must streamline the arrangements at the mandis, remove unnecessary conditions and ensure the procurement of crops as soon as possible.To convey the farmers' concerns to the govt, Hooda said he would tour the mandis across the state to listen to their grievances.The senior leader said he would commence his tour to the grain markets in Naraingarh, Sadhaura, Barara, Ambala, Pipli and Karnal to assess the arrangements in place.MSID:: 130086729 413 |