The Chhattisgarh BJP on Saturday blamed the Congress government after rains drenching the paddy stored in the open by farmers after harvest. The BJP demanded that responsibility should be fixed and the farmers must be compensated.
The Congress hit back that during its 15 years rule, the BJP did not make adequate arrangements for storing the paddy. More paddy had been damaged and decayed during BJP's tenure, it said.
BJP state President Vishnudeo Sai said in a statement that farmers have been left in lurch due to delay in paddy procurement. They are facing lack of space for storage and have kept their paddy in the open.
The rains in many areas have drenched the stored paddy, which in a few days will germinate. It had inflicted heavy losses to the farmers, he said.
The BJP has been demanding early procurement of paddy but the government has said it will start it only from December 1.
The government should immediately commence procurement of the drenched paddy to save farmers from heavy loss and damage, he said.
Reacting, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee Communication Department's Chairman Shailesh Nitin Trivedi said BJP leaders should not shed crocodile tears.
In the last 15 years of their rule, no adequate arrangements were made for storage of paddy. It is the Congress government which is making platforms in each paddy procurement centre for better storage, he said.
Out of the 83.94 lakh tonnes procured in last fiscal year (2019-20), 94.3 percent of paddy has been resolved. The remaining 5.14 lakh tonnes paddy will be resolved by December 15. The loss to the paddy is minimum, he said.
