Chandigarh, Feb 27 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday rejected the Opposition’s allegation of a Rs 5,000-crore scam in paddy procurement in the Assembly, saying the Opposition, having no substantive issues to raise, is attempting to mislead the House with unverified claims by introducing a calling attention motion.

Responding to allegations made by member Ashok Arora, the Chief Minister said that such serious accusations should be supported by credible evidence.

He urged the Opposition to place any proof before the House instead of making unfounded assertions.

He clarified that paddy procurement in Haryana is conducted strictly in accordance with the government of India guidelines through authorised agencies and is monitored under a robust, multi-layered system. The claim of the scam, he said, is entirely without factual basis.

Drawing a comparison with previous governments, the Chief Minister apprised the House that in earlier times, systemic gaps often led to irregularities that adversely affected farmers.

In contrast, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the “double-engine government” has implemented structural reforms to enhance transparency, accountability and farmer welfare.

Farmers today, he said, have clarity regarding their income and are assured procurement of their produce at the minimum support price (MSP).

Highlighting reforms introduced by the present government, he said the procurement system has been digitised from the farm level, including the introduction of a digital gate-pass mechanism to enhance transparency.

He also emphasised that while farmers previously had to wait for months, sometimes even up to a year, to receive payments, the current system ensures timely disbursement.

The Chief Minister further said that if any instance of fake slips, duplicate entries or other irregularities has been detected, the government has acted promptly and firmly.

Unlike in the past, when irregularities often went unchecked, the present system identifies discrepancies and ensures corrective action.

He said the farmers are not concerned; rather, it is the Opposition that appears unsettled. He asked them to clarify what action they had taken against irregularities during their tenure.

At the same time, the Chief Minister invited constructive suggestions, assuring that the government remains open to positive inputs aimed at strengthening the procurement process.

The Chief Minister clarified that farmers register their crop on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora portal, which is duly verified to ascertain sown area and assess production accurately. Therefore, allegations that there is no effective verification mechanism on the portal are incorrect.

He informed the House that during the Kharif season of 2025-26, state procurement agencies procured 62 lakh 13,000 metric tons of non-basmati paddy at the MSP from nearly 3 lakh farmers.

–IANS

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