State to scrutinise disparity in land, tur dal production

The state government will survey and assess the first 1000 farmers who had sold huge amount of tur dal at the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) by April 22.

Taking advantage of the centre’s market intervention scheme which have declared Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 5050 per quintal, the state has published Government Resolution (GR) through which it has stated that the ‘state will take criminal action against farmers if disparity between the amount of production in his agricultural land and sales of tur dal is seen.’

There has been a bumper tur dal production due to good monsoons last year. The department was expecting 11 lakh metric tonnes of tur dal production till 22 April, when the day procurement was stopped by NAFED after Union government’s decision.

According to Sunanda Ghadyale, Under Secretary of the marketing department, there has been a bumper production of tur, the state and Centre announced MSP of Rs 5050 per quintal. The government has formed a committee as per a recent Government Resolution (GR) that will assess the sales of tur dal by farmers to assess whether the traders have previously procured and hoarded the pulse.

“There is a government scheme, Bazar Hastakshep Yojana to ensure the farmers get their MSP, which ensures that they are not cheated by traders.” To protect the rights of farmers, the state will survey the first 1000 farmers who had sold out highest tur dal at NAFED. Ghadyale added, “The committee will survey and scrutinise the production figures recorded on the farms and the amount of tur dal he sold at NAFED and we can then determine the disparities,” said the GR published with the signature of Ghadyale.

The GR further says, if the difference will be noticed by the committee then criminal action will be taken against these farmers. The Tehsildar will be the president of the committee.

The District Deputy Registrar (Co-operative), secretary of Agricultural Producer Market Committee, a representative of State Marketing Federation and Vidarbha Marketing Federation will be the members of the committee.