Chandigarh: On a day when the farmers’ protest turned violent in Haryana with the police using forces against the protesters, the Central government on Saturday said the procurement of Kharif crops will start from Sunday, October 3, in Haryana as well as Punjab. This was announced by Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey.
Addressing a press conference, Haryana CM ML Khattar said he met Ashwini Choubey and added that due to delay in monsoon, the Centre had postponed the start of procurement of paddy and millet to October 11 from October 1 this year. However, he added that there are demands for an early start and the procurement will start tomorrow.
The procurement (of Kharif crops) will start from tomorrow in Haryana as well as Punjab: Ashwini Kumar Choubey, MoS, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution in Delhi pic.twitter.com/8rS3t765lF
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021
The statement from the Haryana government and the Centre came after the farmers held demonstrations across Punjab and Haryana expressing concern over delay in procurement of paddy.
Due to delay in monsoon, Central Govt had postponed start of procurement of paddy & millet to Oct 11 from Oct 1 this year… There are demands for an early start. The procurement will start tomorrow: Haryana CM ML Khattar after meeting MoS Food & Consumer Affairs Ashwini Choubey pic.twitter.com/q3AKe3fr7L
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021
Earlier in the day, the protesters broke police barricade in Yamunanagar as they held a demonstration near the residence of state minister Kanwar Pal over delay in paddy procurement.
Prior to that, the farmers shouting slogans and waving flags against Centre’s farm laws, gathered outside the residence of Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Karnal. Police used water cannon against them to disperse the crowd.
#WATCH | Haryana: Protesters break police barricade in Yamunanagar as they held a demonstration near the residence of state minister Kanwar Pal over delay in paddy procurement pic.twitter.com/4HmskHoEOS
— ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021
It must be noted that the farmers in Punjab and Haryana held protests at many places against postponing of paddy procurement.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Friday had given a call for holding protests outside the residences of legislators in both states to register their protest over the delay in purchasing paddy crop.
The development comes as the Centre on Thursday postponed procurement of kharif paddy in Punjab and Haryana till October 11 as the crop maturity is delayed and moisture content in fresh arrival is beyond permissible limits owing to recent heavy rains.
The procurement operation is undertaken by the central government’s nodal agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) along with state agencies. Paddy procurement usually commences from October 1.
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