In a relief to the paddy growers (dhan) in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday announced a Rs 600 crore package assuring the state assembly that the funds will be released immediately. Pawar said the state government is mulling helping the farmers with the payment of money per acre instead of bonus so that the money goes directly to the farmers.
Pawar was responding to the demand from the ruling and opposition members demanding the payment of bonus to the paddy growers which they said had not been paid yet. Shiv Sena MLA Vaibhav Naik and BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar made a strong case for the continuation of payment of the bonus system which had started in 2013.
However, Pawar ruled out the payment of bonus but announced a Rs 600 crore package so that the money can be transferred directly to the farmers.
‘’The state government has taken a decision not to pay a bonus to paddy growers. They can be provided help based on the area on which the farmers produced paddy. The government’s assessment for its implementation is underway,’’ said Pawar. He assured the assembly that the government will examine the situation in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
‘’After the government announces a bonus, the paddy from these states come to Maharashtra and the paddy growers from those states also demand a bonus. While distributing the bonus amount, the government has received complaints that the farmers do not get it instead the middlemen and traders get it leading to scams. Therefore, the government is contemplating giving per acre aid to paddy growers in the state,’’ Pawar noted.
