TAD NewsDesk, Punjab: Punjab farmers to get direct money transfer of MSP from the government for the forthcoming procurement season, after the Centre dismissed the state’s request for yet another DBT exemption on Thursday.
The decision came after a two hour-long meeting with Food Minister Piyush Goyal. He asserted that the procurement process will continue between the state and the Centre only if the state agrees to do direct transfer to the farmer’s accounts.
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal said, “We have no alternative and choice.”
He added,
“Our petitions for relief from the DBT route have been denied by the minister, and we now have no alternative. If the state wants to pay farmers by arhtiyas, the minister said it would have to make its own procurement arrangements. So we don’t have a choice.”
Bharat Bhushan Ashu, Punjab’s food minister has expressed concern for the arthiyas as well. He said that the state will find some way to pay directly to farmers and will also have some safety and security for Arhtiyas as well. The CM has apparently set up a meeting with the Arthiyas soon to discuss the issue.
Meanwhile, the Centre has decided to give Punjab a six-month extension to link its land records to the national e-procurement platform.
The Centre announced today that 15 procuring states had begun making DBT payments to farmers, and that Punjab, which had previously received three waivers, would not be eligible for any more.
Now Punjab would have to go for a more better way of handling the situation and would have to do the direct transfer of MSP as has been announced.
Source: Krishi Jagran
