Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh-
The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, came down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led state government, demanding immediate and unconditional procurement of the paddy crop, especially in the wake of widespread flood devastation and relentless rains across Punjab.
Bajwa firmly stated that the government's insistence on the standard moisture level requirement of 17% is not only impractical under the current circumstances but also cruelly indifferent to the suffering of the state's farmers. He pointed out that nine districts have been severely impacted by floods, while heavy rains have left paddy fields waterlogged in the rest of the state—making it virtually impossible for farmers to meet moisture standards through no fault of their own.
“The situation demands sensitivity, not bureaucracy,” Bajwa said, urging the state government to procure the paddy crop without any preconditions, including those related to moisture content.
He also revived the serious allegations from the 2024 paddy procurement season, when, according to him, farmers were forced to sell their produce at distress prices, resulting in a massive scam worth Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 crore. Despite raising the issue in the Assembly, he said, the matter was brushed under the carpet and no proper investigation was initiated.
Bajwa alleged that the AAP government is now attempting to repeat the same exploitative model this year, by creating conditions that force farmers to offload their crops at undervalued rates. “The Punjab Congress will not allow this injustice to happen again,” he asserted.
With over 4.30 lakh acres of standing crops already destroyed in floods, Bajwa called on the Bhagwant Mann-led government to rise above red tape and act in the interest of the farming community. If needed, he suggested, the matter should be escalated to the Union Government to ensure relief and fair treatment for the state’s beleaguered farmers.