Funds released by Center, state govt failed in its duty: Ravneet Singh Bittu on issue of paddy procurement

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], October 27 (ANI): Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu held a review meeting regarding food grain procurement on Sunday. He said that funds have been released by the Center but the state government has failed in its duty.
He held a meeting with General Manager IAS Srinivasan of Food Corporation of India, Punjab regarding the ongoing paddy procurement problem in Punjab.
He said, "Funds have been released by the Center but the state government has failed in its duty. Rs 44,000 crore has been provided to the Punjab government by the Center."
He said that several trains are transporting rice from Punjab to the entire country.
He said, "Even after emptying the godowns by several trains, the Punjab government says that it does not have space. Funds were given by FCI for storing 31 lakh metric tonnes of crops, but even after a year, no tender has been issued for it. Punjab Government still has 15 lakh metric tonnes of space vacant but the lifting work is stalled in Punjab."
He alleged that Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Raghav Chadha were running the government in Punjab and not Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
"Instead of solving the problem of lifting, AAP was busy in making its own Sarpanch in Punjab. Today the roads of Punjab are overcrowded, there is no need for jail, people are imprisoned in their own homes," he added.
A delegation of Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders met the Governor on Sunday and submitted a memorandum regarding the issue of the paddy procurement.
The memorandum mentioned that the paddy procurement for the Kharif Marketing season for the state had officially commenced on October 1.
The Punjab government had received Rs 44,000 crore for the purchase of paddy from the Central government however due to their inefficiency, even after 26 days of the official announcement of the season, the government had failed to lift most of the paddy from the mandis across the state.
Farmers in Punjab continued their protest for the second day on Sunday to press for multiple demands, including paddy procurement.
As part of their protest, farmers organised road blocks, or "chakka jam," in several parts of Punjab, including Sangrur, Moga, Phagwara, and Batla.
Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh committee and Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) took part in the protest.
Kisan Mazdoor Morcha Coordinator Sarwan Singh Pandher, who was present at the protest site in Phagwara said, "The indefinite roadblocks announced by both fronts with the demands of paddy procurement, DAP, and stubble issues have entered the second day. Yesterday, the CM went to Delhi and said that he has held talks with MHA and JP Nadda... "
"The sellers and centre have not come to a decision yet... Ravneet Singh Bittu should talk to the centre and also the sellers so that they come to an agreement... The CM will be busy campaigning in Hoshiarpur for the bye-elections but he has assured us that he will hold talks with us... The Punjab government has a different stand on the stubble issue... The CM verbally attacked the farmers yesterday in Delhi when he said that they block highways, he added. (ANI)