Din in Chg House over demonetisation hardship to farmers

Main opposition Congress today created uproarin Chhattisgarh Assembly alleging that farmers are disappointed and facing a huge trouble due to limitation on monetary transactions in banks after demonetisation of higher value currencies by the Centre.

As many as 31 opposition MLAs weresuspendedafter they trooped into the well in the House raising slogans against the government. However, their suspension was revoked later.

Due to pandemonium, Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal adjourned the proceedings for five minutes.

Soon after Question Hour, state Congress president and MLA Bhupesh Baghel raised the issue through his adjournment motion notice.

He said as per the paddy procurement policy of the state government, there is a provision of online payment against the paddy purchased from farmers.
 

"But farmers are unable to draw their payments from cooperative banks (due to capping on transaction)," he said.

As per departmental figures, as on November 20, 2,53,235.55 tonne paddy has been procured in the state against which the government has transferred online payment to the tune of Rs 3,77,28,52,774.2 in the accounts of farmers.

"However, despite repeated visits to the banks, farmers are not getting their hard-earned money. Only limited amount of cash is being dispensed due to which they are troubled," Baghel claimed.

In Baloda Bazar, a farmer committed suicide after getting frustrated over unable to pay his debt. Similarly, due to delay in paddy procurement drive, a farmer in Bagbahara block in Mahasamund district committed suicide as he was unable to pay his loan, he said.

Baghel urged the Speaker to allow discussion thorough the adjournment motion notice on the issue.

He was joined by Congress legislators Satyanarayan Sharma, Dhanendra Sahu and others.

In his reply, Cooperatives Minister Dayaldas Baghel said the paddy procurement drive has been initiated in the state since November 15 and since then 2.53 lakh MT paddy worth Rs 372.13 crore has been procured.

Of these, Rs 129.93 crore has been adjusted against loans of farmers through linking process and remaining Rs 245.20 crore has been credited online in the accounts of farmers, the minister said.