Hazaribag: CPI state general secretary B P Mehta on Monday urged the Jharkhand government to open the government-run procurement centres in the first week of December itself as harvesting season for paddy has already begun. The centres will provide the farmers with a platform to sell their produce at minimum support price (MSP).
Speaking to media persons here on Monday, he said, “In the absence of procurement centres, the farmers are forced to sell their paddy output at throwaway prices in Hazaribag, Ramgarh and other places.”
Usually these centres open in the second week of December but because harvesting season began on time this year because of timely onset of monsoon, he urged the government to open them at the earliest in order to prevent the farmers from getting duped by middlemen. “The pandemic has resulted in a lot of hardships for farmers and if they don’t get the right price for their crops, they will further suffer financial woes,” he said.
Asked about the farmers’ agitation in Delhi against the new farm laws, he said, “The new laws are anti-farmers.” He criticised the Centre for using lathis on the protesters. “Use of force to thwart their protest has exposed the NDA government’s so-called seriousness towards the cause of farmers,” he said.
Speaking to media persons here on Monday, he said, “In the absence of procurement centres, the farmers are forced to sell their paddy output at throwaway prices in Hazaribag, Ramgarh and other places.”
Usually these centres open in the second week of December but because harvesting season began on time this year because of timely onset of monsoon, he urged the government to open them at the earliest in order to prevent the farmers from getting duped by middlemen. “The pandemic has resulted in a lot of hardships for farmers and if they don’t get the right price for their crops, they will further suffer financial woes,” he said.
Asked about the farmers’ agitation in Delhi against the new farm laws, he said, “The new laws are anti-farmers.” He criticised the Centre for using lathis on the protesters. “Use of force to thwart their protest has exposed the NDA government’s so-called seriousness towards the cause of farmers,” he said.
