BJP Government Troubling Farmers Over Crop Procurement, Says Kumari Selja

Sirsa MP, former Union minister, Congress national general secretary and Congress Working Committee member Kumari Selja has accused the BJP government of forcing farmers to struggle to sell their produce despite its promise to double farmers’ income. She said farmers were being repeatedly inconvenienced in the name of online portals, inadequate procurement arrangements and technical glitches, while the burden of what she described as anti-farmer policies continued to fall on the farming community.

Selja said paddy and cotton were arriving in mandis across Haryana, but the lack of adequate covered sheds, tarpaulins, drainage facilities and timely lifting arrangements was putting farmers’ hard-earned produce at risk. Rainfall has reportedly damaged crops lying in several mandis, causing losses worth lakhs of rupees to farmers.

She said market committees had failed to ensure adequate protection for agricultural produce during adverse weather. Farmers who bring their crops to mandis after months of hard work should not have to bear losses because of inadequate infrastructure or delays in procurement, she said.

Farmers Face Procurement Difficulties

Selja said the government must ensure that procurement arrangements are adequate, transparent and timely. She alleged that farmers were being made to run from one office to another because of portal-related requirements and technical problems, adding to the difficulties they already face during the harvesting and selling season.

She said the government should remove unnecessary portal-related restrictions and ensure the timely procurement of the entire eligible produce brought by farmers. Procurement procedures, she maintained, should facilitate farmers rather than create additional hurdles for them.

The Congress leader said farmers needed practical support at mandis, including protection from rain, proper drainage, adequate covered space and prompt lifting of procured crops. Delays in these arrangements can expose produce to damage and increase the financial pressure on farmers who depend on the sale of their harvest to meet household and agricultural expenses.

Compensation for Rain-Damaged Crops

Selja demanded an immediate survey of crops damaged by rainfall and prompt compensation for affected farmers. She said the authorities should assess losses without unnecessary delay and ensure that eligible farmers receive relief.

She also called for better facilities in mandis and timely payments to farmers. Procurement, she said, should be supported by effective arrangements for storage, transportation and payment so that farmers are not left waiting after bringing their produce to market.

The Congress, she said, has consistently advocated fair prices for farmers and a simpler procurement system. The government must address the problems being reported at mandis and ensure that farmers can sell their produce without avoidable procedural or administrative obstacles.

Selja said the promise of doubling farmers’ income rang hollow if farmers continued to face difficulties in selling their crops and suffered losses due to inadequate procurement infrastructure. She urged the state government to act promptly on the concerns raised by farmers and provide relief to those whose produce had been damaged by rain.

“Providing relief to farmers is the government’s responsibility, not a favour,” Selja said, calling for immediate corrective measures to improve procurement arrangements and protect farmers’ interests.