Paddy procurement row rocks Chhattisgarh assembly; Congress stages walkout

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh assembly on Monday witnessed a heated exchange over non-procurement of paddy in Bastar, with Congress MLAs accusing the BJP govt of failing tribal farmers and staged a walkout after alleging that food minister Dayaldas Baghel did not give clear and satisfactory answers.

Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma also took up the matter during the question hour, alleging that paddy had not been procured from more than 32,200 tribal farmers across five districts in Bastar division. He said many farmers had completed registration and obtained tokens, but were still unable to sell their produce, which left them in distress as they had loans on head.

"Tell me, will the govt repay the loans, waive them off or procure their paddy," Lakhma demanded.
Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel responded by stating that the govt was committed to purchasing paddy from all farmers who brought it to the designated centres.

Congress MLA Lakheswar Baghel also sought data on indebted and non-indebted farmers as well as those holding forest rights titles. HE said farmers had been running from one office to another, including SDM offices, and alleged that the “biggest scam” was taking place in paddy procurement.

Former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel also intervened, asking how many farmers in Bastar had received a second token but still could not sell their paddy and whether the govt would procure the crop of such farmers or waive their loans.

Replying to the query, food minister Dayaldas Baghel gave district-wise figures for paddy lifting in Bastar division, stating that a total of 46,846.86 metric tonnes had been lifted in Bastar district, 21,888.59 metric tonne (MT) in Bijapur, 9,757 MT in Dantewada, 1,47,528.3 MT in Kanker, 58,911.78 MT in Kondagaon, 17,383.06 MT in Narayanpur and 16,608.14 MT in Sukma.

The minister maintained that the quantity of paddy sold this season was the highest in any year so far.

Dayaldas said that even during the previous Congress government, paddy from indebted farmers had not been purchased in all cases. He argued that procurement could not occur for those who failed to reach the centres, dismissing claims of widespread non-procurement as incorrect.

The answer triggered sharp protests from the opposition benches. Congress members alleged that farmers from Bastar were being forced to sell their paddy outside the state, including in Andhra Pradesh due to a chaotic procurement system.

Calling the govt's handling of procurement “lax” and “anti-farmer”, Congress MLAs raised slogans in the House and later staged a walkout.

The paddy procurement row added to the tense atmosphere in the House during the sixth day of the budget session.