Kurukshetra, Oct 3 (PTI) Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed that the state government's announcement to start the procurement of paddy from Sunday has turned out to be a 'jumla'.

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He said the government has repeatedly changed the dates for starting procurement.

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Hooda said on Sunday he visited several grain markets to know the ground realities of the procurement.

He visited grain markets at Ladwa, Pipli and Thanesar and talked to the farmers, arhtiyas and workers.

“Everyone told me that even today the procurement of paddy has not started in the mandis,” Hooda said.

"Thus, the state government's announcement to start the procurement from October 3 has turned out to be a jumla," he said.

Punjab and Haryana governments on Saturday announced that the procurement of paddy - a major Kharif crop - will begin from October 3, after the Centre acceded to their request.

The Centre's earlier decision to put off procurement till October 11 due to recent heavy rains had sparked protests by farmers in the two states.

Talking to reporters here after taking stock of the situation in the mandis, Hooda said the mandis are littered with paddy and the situation is such that there is no place to even set foot in the market and farmers are facing the constant fear of rains.

“Farmers are forced to sell crops to private agencies below MSP due to the threat of rains and delays in government procurement,” he claimed.

Hooda, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, said farmers need clarity.

He added that during the previous Congress government, when he was the chief minister, farmers knew a week before the purchase of paddy which agency would buy and which sheller their paddy would go to.

“Not only this, farmers were not harassed in the name of portal and registration during the Congress government,” he said.

“Crops were purchased when they landed in mandis and simultaneous payments were made. Today, farmers are getting harassed for registering themselves on portals,” he said.

He further said “we have had a long rainy season this time and it is still raining intermittently and hence the government should give concession to farmers in the standard moisture content this time”.

“Far from giving the relief, the standard moisture content is being continuously reduced and it is clear from the policies of the government that they do not want to give a proper rate of crops to farmers,” he said.

Hooda said the opposition stands firmly with the farmers. The government will be forced to buy every grain of every crop, he said.

Hooda also raised the issue of potato producing farmers.

He said farmers need manure for sowing potatoes but in all the districts including Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, the government is unable to provide them fertilizers.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)