Nagda: Chaos and mismanagement prevailed at the regional purchase centre for wheat at minimum support price. Purchasing of wheat was stalled for a few hours at the purchase centre of Marketing Society in Krishi Upaj Mandi premises.
The purchase began at 1 pm. Some workers at the centre did not weigh the produce so only three weighing machines were operational. Farmers stood in long queues waiting for their turn. Several farmers even reached the society’s officer and protested against the mismanagement. According to the farmers, only six days are left for purchase before the deadline and they have not yet received messages allotting them the date and time of their turn.
The society had announced that weighing would not be done on Wednesday due to lack of gunny bags. Many farmers did not arrive because of this. However, about 70-80 reached the mandi premises with their produce. The society somehow managed some gunny bags and started weighing in the afternoon.
The centres are purchasing wheat from only those farmers who have received a message from Bhopal office regarding allotment. Farmers are worried that their crops might be wasted.
Ex-MLAs Lalsingh Ranawat and Dilip Shekhawat have assured the farmers that they will all receive messages. About 12,551 farmers have been registered in Nagda-Khachrod belt, out of which produce of 8,872 farmers has been purchased.
The then agricultural minister Sachin Yadav had distributed cheques worth Rs 23.88 lakh to waive loans of farmers. However, many banks are getting their loan instalments from the farmers’ accounts. The beneficiaries’ loans have not yet been waived. Wheat is also lying stranded at many centres due to lack of resources. Farmers are vexed that if timely action is not taken, the rain might damage the crops.
