Centre trying to choke procurement, says CM
Monday, 06/05/2019
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/centre-trying-to-choke-procurement-says-cm/768700.html
Chandigarh : Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday accused the central government of acting at the behest of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to create shortage of gunny bags and obstruct procurement of wheat in the state.
He alleged that the aim was to defame the Congress government in the state ahead of the elections.
While Punjab was being made to sweat for gunny bags, neighbouring Haryana was being supplied additional bags to ensure smooth procurement, ahead of voting on May 12, the Chief Minister alleged. Lashing out at the Central government, he said 4,00,000 bags had been diverted from Punjab to Haryana.
For the first time since taking over in 2017, the Congress government in Punjab was facing problems in procurement due to the “politically motivated” actions of the Centre in depriving the state of much-needed supply of gunny bags, Capt Amarinder said. It was aimed at messing up the procurement process at the behest of the SAD, its ally in Punjab, he added.
On the other hand, the BJP government in Haryana was getting additional bags to handle excess production of wheat this year, he claimed, lashing out at the Centre for once again giving Punjab a “step-motherly treatment in order to promote is political interests in this election year”.
To make the situation worsen, the glut production from Haryana was being pushed into Punjab through the open borders, said the CM, adding that had instructed officials to stop such attempts.
Till May 3, 10.54 million tonnes wheat had reached mandis, with another 1.6 million tonnes expected to arrive by May 6, he said. A serious shortage of A-class bales was expected in Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Muktsar, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran and Gurdaspur districts, he added.
