Logjam ends, arhtiyas call off proposed strike

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana Government will go ahead with its plans of e-procurement of paddy from the current harvesting season with the only change that payment of the produce will not go directly into the accounts of farmers, but will be given to the arhtiyas.

Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 22

The Haryana Government will go ahead with its plans of e-procurement of paddy from the current harvesting season with the only change that payment of the produce will not go directly into the accounts of farmers, but will be given to the arhtiyas.

After a meeting with Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here today, representatives of the arhtiya associations announced to call off their proposed strike against e-procurement from September 26.

J Ganesan, Chief Administrator, of the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board, confirmed the outcome of the meeting and said the e-Kharid portal prepared for e-procurement would be launched by the Chief Minister in the presence of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan in Karnal on September 27.

“E-procurement of paddy will be done as per our plans from all grain markets of Haryana. This will not only streamline procurement, but also end evasion of market fees leading to all transactions held in the mandis under the tax net,” he said.

Arhtiya associations from across the state had been opposing e-procurement on the plea that once payments start going directly into bank accounts of farmers, they would not be able to recover money lent to the farmers.

Traders had announced to boycott procurement if the government went ahead with its e-procurement plans.

Surinder Manchnabadi, president of the Sirsa District Arhtiya Association confirmed that their members were satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and said the CM had also assured them early start of procurement since arrival had already started.

Vishal Joshi adds: In Kurukshetra, the Haryana Pradesh Arhtiya Sangharsh Samiti (HPASS) earlier in the day served a three-day ultimatum on the state government to withdraw the online procurement or else they would resort to indefinite strike from Monday.

As arrival of early sown varieties of paddy has started arriving at mandis, the arhtiyas stayed away from purchase in protest at various mandis today.

Ashok Gupta, convener, HPASS, said the association had strong reservation against the direct payment of paddy in the bank accounts of farmers. “Commission agents have loaned crores of rupees to the farmers for farming and other needs,” he said.