4 officials suspended, mustard procurement hit in Haryana

ROHTAK: Mustard procurement in Haryana turned murky when involvement of certain market committee officials in fraudulent activities surfaced, leading to their suspension. An inquiry has been initiated into the matter and we have suspended four market committee officials, confirmed additional chief secretary, agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, Sanjeev Kaushal on Friday.

Mustard growers have, meanwhile, expressed their worries and said they haven’t been able to sell their produce for past more than a week. Procurement at many centres was stopped after the government received complaints regarding illegal activities involving some commission agents, farmers and market committee officials.

ACS Kaushal said, “Some commission agents purchased the mustard from Rajasthan at rates ₹600-₹700 lower than the MSP and sold the same in Haryana mandis with the help of certain farmers and market committee officials.”

“We are lodging FIRS against those involved in the scam. Most of the farmers have already sold their produce and the crop of remaining ones will be bought after verification,” he said.

‘WAITING FOR MY TURN FOR PAST 8 DAYS’

The government has been procuring mustard across 165 centres in the state.

Sumod Kumar, a farmer from Bhiwani’s Surpura Khurd, said the government had stopped purchasing their crop on May 20. However, since the procurement process was stopped across mandis, the private dealers have been reportedly buying mustard at ₹ 4,100 to 4,180 per quintal.

Dadri market committee secretary Suresh Khokar said the government had issued orders to stop the mustard purchase to ensure lifting of pending crop and store the same at godowns.