Release pending paddy payment to farmers: Oppn
To press for their demand, BJP leaders held a ‘virtual’ dharna at their respective residences, say Soren govt fooling farmers
RANCHI: BJP members led by state unit chief Deepak Prakash on Tuesday observed dharna at their respective residences, demanding the state government to clear pending payment against paddy procured from farmers this year.
The party leaders posted pictures of them observing the dharna on social media platforms while pressing on their demand and criticising the Hemant Soren-led government. “The state government is fooling farmers of the state, be it regarding loan waiver or paddy procurement. Money has not been paid to farmers against procurement done in November,” said Prakash.
The party’s legislature leader Babulal Marandi said while the Centre has already cleared the eighth instalment of PM Kisan Nidhi to farmers, the state government was yet to make payment against the procurement. He also reminded the government to supply seeds at the earliest as the next Kharif season was round the corner.
Reacting to BJP’s barbs, leaders of Congress party, one of the ruling parties in the state, described the ‘virtual dharna’ as theatrics.
“It’s for the first time in the state that the agriculture department led by our minister Badal Patralekh has issued an agriculture calendar, according to which the department will start providing seeds from May 25 in all districts. As far as payment of paddy is concerned, last year’s payment has been cleared while the rest is in process,” said state Congress spokesperson Alok Dubey.
Jharkhand made record paddy procurement this year. According to e-uparjan portal of food and public distribution department, more than 94,000 farmers sold around 5.6 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year.