Bhopal, March 31 (IANS) The Opposition Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh engaged in a war of words over the state government’s decision to reschedule wheat procurement dates at the Minimum Support Price (MSP).​

On Monday, the state government released a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), according to which procurement in the Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, and Narmadapuram divisions will now begin on April 10, rather than April 7.​

Similarly, procurement in Jabalpur, Gwalior, Rewa, Shahdol, Chambal, and Sagar divisions, which was earlier scheduled to begin on April 7, will now start a week later, from April 15.​

This marks the second time the state government has rescheduled the process. Initially, procurement was scheduled to begin on March 16, which was later deferred to April 1.​

State Congress leaders criticised the BJP government’s decision, alleging that delays in procurement have distressed farmers, forcing them to sell crops at lower rates in the market.​

In a fresh attack on Tuesday, state Congress president Jitu Patwari said many farmers were struggling to repay bank loans borrowed for agricultural purposes.

He alleged that further delays had forced them to sell crops at lower rates to repay loans before March 31.​

“After the March 31 deadline, approximately 40 per cent of farmers have reached the brink of default. But the government is rescheduling dates again and again. The failure to initiate procurement is forcing farmers to sell their crops below the MSP,” he said.​

Reacting to the allegations, state BJP Kisan Morcha head Jaipal Singh Chavda said the Congress has never truly been a well-wisher of farmers.​

Speaking to media persons in Bhopal, he explained that the ongoing conflict in West Asia had led to a shortage in the availability of polymers used in manufacturing polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethene (HDPE) bags, which are used for packaging grains.​

He shared that the Centre had allocated an additional 50,000 bales of jute bags to Madhya Pradesh. ​

“The BJP government is committed to procuring every single wheat grain of farmers at Rs 2,625 per quintal,” he added.​

–IANS

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