In a major decision taken in favour of the farmers of Chhattisgarh, the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Raman Singh decided to provide Rs 300 per quintal of bonus on the paddy procured from the farmers. It means that farmer would get more than Rs 2000 per quintal. This would benefit around 13 lakh farmers of State.
BJP had in its manifesto had promised to give Rs 300 per quintal bonus to the farmers during last election. This kharif year state government has set a target to purchase 75 lakh metric tonne of paddy from state farmers. The procurement for Kharif 2018 is to commence from November 1.
Cabinet for it has made an additional Budgetary provision of Rs 2400. Discussion was held to include the supplementary cost, through a supplementary budget by calling a special two days session of state assembly i.e. on September 11-12. Permission of Governor has been sought to call the session. As per party sources, on September 11 the supplementary budget would be tabled. Before that House would pay tributes to Chhattisgarh Governor Balramji Das Tandon and former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee. Discussion on budget would be held on September 12 and then passed.
The State Government is also ensuring that the procured paddy price and bonus is distributed before the Deepawali festival.
At present the common paddy procurement price is Rs 1750 while the A-grade is Rs 1770 per quintal. State government would procure around 15 quintal per acre from farmers. The amount would be paid directly to the bank account of farmers.
Chief Minister had earlier indicated that farmers would get bonus of year 2017 in year 2018 during the ‘Atal Vikas yatra’. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national President has cleared the issue, earlier in year 2013-14, government has distributed Rs 2,374 crore as bonus.
In another major decision taken at the Cabinet, it decided to withdraw and close19,832 crime cases registered under Indian Forest Act 1927 filed upto December 31, 2016. It would benefit around 12000, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe residents. It is a major decision for the tribal areas, where cases are pending against tribal residents. It would also include cases of having fine of Rs 20,000. Now they would not have to pay the fines.
As similar decision was taken earlier in year 2004 also where 2,57,226 similar cases were withdrawn and closed. Around Rs 12.91 crore fines was pending in the cases where some cases were more than 50 years old. It benefited around 1,06,630 Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe of state.
