Paddy procured better this year, says Nitish

Amidst opposition's claim that Bihar has badly lagged in paddy procurement target, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the state has procured more paddy than what it had done last year.
He said 6.85 lakh MT of paddy has been procured so far in 2015-16 against 5.54 lakh MT paddy procurement of 2014-15, Kumar said while speaking in the Assembly on the motion of thanks on Governor's address.
State Food Corporation is not procuring paddy this year, he said.
With regard to Custom Milled Rice (CMR), the state has got 1.47 lakh MT of CMR so far in 2015-16 against 1.25 lakh MT in the same corresponding period of 2014-15, Kumar said.

"They (BJP) will make only hue and cry which is far from reality," Kumar said while making an appeal to BJP to put pressure on the Centre for giving Rs 2058 crore on account of CMR, which the Centre had to release to FCI.
Earlier, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had questioned the government's ability to achieve the target of procuring 27 lakh MT of paddy by the end of March this year.

Defending his government's decision to impose VAT on cloth, sweets and sarees, Kumar said it was the prerogative of the government to impose taxes which would be realised from those who can pay taxes.

The government needs to increase the ambit of tax net to increase its earnings to carry out welfare activities, he said adding that even Centre has increased cess, a form of tax, on petrol and diesel for umpteen times in past two years.
"The government has imposed a five per cent tax on cloth with the price tag of over Rs 500 per meter. Similarly, taxes have been levied on sarees which are beyond Rs 2000 and sweets selling beyond Rs 500 per kg," Kumar said.
Those who can afford cloths, sarees and sweets which come under the tax bracket can also contribute a little to the state's coffers, he said.

On Central government's decision to reduce its share in Centrally sponsored schemes, Kumar said, this move will make the state government lose Rs 4508 crore in the current fiscal and around Rs 5000 crore in 2016-17.
The Centre has reduced its share in schemes like Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojana, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Indira Awas Yojana, Mid Day Meal, Rural Electrification, he said.
The Centre's decision was expected to adversely cost Bihar government around Rs 45,000 crore in next five years, Kumar said.
On Union ministers' frequent charge of the state government not providing land, Kumar said, the Centre should give the cost of land which would be acquired for the project and in lieu, the state government would foot the bill for the project."

Giving an example, he said the Centre sought 1500 acres of land for an airport in the vicinity of Patna.
Stating that the land would cost anything between Rs 40,000 crore to Rs 45,000 crore, he said the Centre should give money for the land while state government is ready to bear the cost of airport building.