As the Chhattisgarh Election 2023 draws near, the BJP and Congress are once again at odds over the issue of rice procurement. Congress has accused the BJP of not wanting to buy paddy from Chhattisgarh farmers at a rate of 20 quintals per acre. This is why, according to Congress, the Modi government has reduced the quota from 86 million metric tons to 61 million metric tons. In response to these allegations, the BJP has claimed that the Congress government’s lies and propaganda have been exposed.
Congress Government’s Assurance on Rice Procurement: Deepak Baij
Deepak Baij, the state Congress president, stated that the Modi government might not accept even a single grain, but a Congress government would fulfill the promises made to the farmers. Congress has set a goal of procuring 20 quintals of rice per acre, and this year, they plan to procure a record 125 million metric tons of rice. In the coming years, rice procurement from farmers will take place at a rate of 3,600 rupees per quintal.
After the Congress government came to power in Chhattisgarh, farmers in the state received the highest price of rice, Rs 2,640 per quintal, in the entire country. The central government has reduced the rice quota in the central pool from 86.5 million metric tons to 61 million metric tons, which led to Chhattisgarh’s demand to procure an additional 3.56 lakh metric tons being rejected by the Centre.
Truth Cannot Be Hidden: Punnulal Mohle
BJP legislators and former ministers, Nankiram Kanwar and Punnulal Mohle, emphasized that lies have no legs, and the truth cannot remain hidden in the dark for long. They argued that the Cabinet in Chhattisgarh had admitted that the Indian government is the sole entity responsible for rice procurement. Procurement of rice and maize at the support price announced by the BJP government at the Centre will begin from November 1.
By asserting their ability to procure rice independently, the Congress and its state government have now been exposed for their false claims. The BJP leaders argued that the Cabinet’s decision has debunked Congress’s claims that they can procure rice in Chhattisgarh without the Centre’s assistance.