New Delhi: Food and Civil Supplies Minister K V Thomas on Friday assured the Lok Sabha that the issue of paddy procurement in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other rice producing states will be solved very soon as a high level delegation will be sent there to inquire into the matter.
As soon as the House re-assembled at 1400 hrs after its adjournment during Zero Hour, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav raised the issue and alleged that the Government was not doing enough to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) to the farmers in Uttar Pradesh.
Mr Yadav stood up and requested Deputy Speaker Karia Munda to allow him to speak on rice procurement and lack of storage facilities like shortage of Food Corporation of India (FCI) goodowns in the state saying this matter of urgent importance and he was allowed by the chair.
The SP supremo said the Government is not buying paddy from the farmers in the state due to which they are facing hardship.
He also alleged that in some cases FCI procured the paddy from the farmers and later refused to make the cash payment saying the quality is not good, which is a matter of great concern for poor farmers as they are not getting remunerative prices from any sources now. More UNI RH RP VP1645
Shahnawaz Hussain (BJP) said while state governments of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh were procuring the entire paddy cultivation from farmers, the Centre was not doing the same. “Centre is only giving assurance. There is no action.”
When several members from the opposition benches wanted a reply from the Food Minister, Chidambaram said he would convey their feelings to him. He said the minister has already held a meeting to solve the issue.
Refusing to yield, members from SP, BJD, the Left, RJD and Trinamool Cpngress trooped into the Well shouting slogans.
“Kisan virodhi sarkar nahin chalegi,” they shouted, forcing Deputy Speaker Karia Munda to adjourn the House for five minutes.
When the House re-assembled presiding office P C Chacko said Food Minister Thomas was on his way.
Till the time Thomas reached, the opposition members continued to shout slogans.
Thomas said a high level delegation will visit Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to look into the problems in procurement of paddy, especially quality issues. “Whatever assistance is needed, (it) will be done,” Thomas assured the House. (PTI)