Chhattisgarh has proposed the procurement of over 7 million tonne (MT) paddy from the farmers at minimum support price (MSP) during the ongoing kharif marketing season in spite of major part of the state has been announced drought-hit.
The government of the state had officially announced 117 out of 150 tehsils as drought-hit. It had received a Rs 10,000 crore loan from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to procure paddy from the farmers.
Even the nodal agency for procurement, the government-run Marketing Federation (MARKFED), had bought sacks worth Rs 60 crore.
Given the MSP for the common variety paddy at Rs 1,410 per quintal and Rs 1,450 per quintal for A variety grain, Chhattisgarh stands to buy around 7 MT paddy from the amount it had received as loan and more than 10 million sacks bought for Rs 60 crore.
The question now is from where the MARKFED would receive the calculated paddy quantity when the yield in about three-fourth part of the state is below 50 paise.
Farmers leader and former minister Virendra Pandey said, "Why the state government had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 crore and purchased such a huge quantity of sacks is beyond understanding."
The government of the state had officially announced 117 out of 150 tehsils as drought-hit. It had received a Rs 10,000 crore loan from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to procure paddy from the farmers.
Even the nodal agency for procurement, the government-run Marketing Federation (MARKFED), had bought sacks worth Rs 60 crore.
Given the MSP for the common variety paddy at Rs 1,410 per quintal and Rs 1,450 per quintal for A variety grain, Chhattisgarh stands to buy around 7 MT paddy from the amount it had received as loan and more than 10 million sacks bought for Rs 60 crore.
The question now is from where the MARKFED would receive the calculated paddy quantity when the yield in about three-fourth part of the state is below 50 paise.
Farmers leader and former minister Virendra Pandey said, "Why the state government had taken a loan of Rs 10,000 crore and purchased such a huge quantity of sacks is beyond understanding."