Mustard procurement in Haryana has "completely failed" and it was for the "first time since Independence" that farmers were facing such a problem, the Congress alleged on Saturday and blamed the BJP-JJP government's "mismanagement" during the coronavirus-induced lockdown for it.
State Agriculture Minister J P Dalal has, however, maintained that mustard procurement was going on smoothly across 163 centres set up for the purpose.
At a press conference through video link, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy Dushyant Chautala have "confined themselves in air-conditioned rooms", whereas they should be visiting 'mandis' to see the problems being faced by farmers.
He claimed that Khattar has "not visited a single mandi" so far, while Chautala went to "only a small mandi in Yamunanagar and the Uchana mandi in his constituency".
"Mustard procurement has completely failed, it is for the first time since Independence farmers are facing this problem," Surjewala said.
He said the BJP-JJP government had committed to procuring the entire crop, but farmers at several places in the state have complained that not all of their produce was bought.
The Congress spokesperson gave the example of a farmer with eight acres of land who, he claimed, had registered himself on the government portal for selling 80 quintal of mustard, but only 32 quintal was procured.
Mustard is grown mainly in south Haryana and "if the government cannot smoothly procure the crop in five to six districts, imagine what will be the fate farmers may face when they will bring wheat for procurement in the entire state from April 20", said Surjewala, who had been a minister in the state.
Haryana Agriculture Minister Dalal has said the state government remains committed to purchase entire produce of the farmers.
Alleging mismanagement in mustard procurement, Surjewala also alleged that when the process began on April 15, the commissioned agents, through whom the payment is routed to farmers, were asked at the eleventh hour to open accounts in seven private banks although they already had accounts in the nationalised banks.
"Arhitiyas (commissioned agents) are like mobile banks for farmers and both sides mutually settle account when the growers get money after selling crops.
"Now, one fails to understand the impractical move of asking Arhitiyas to open their accounts in private banks. Has the government become an agent of private banks that it wants to favour them in this time of crisis," he posed.
Surjewala said that keeping in view the present lockdown situation, he had earlier suggested to the state government to declare 10,000 registered 'arhitiyas' in Haryana as mobile purchase centres.
"The arhitiyas enjoy a close association with farmers. They are locally connected and in this time of lockdown that would have been the best thing to do to help farmers. But the government paid no heed to the advice," Surjewala said.
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