Shiv Kumar Sharma, Chandigarh
Congress National General Secretary and Chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the 300 per cent hike in HRDF (rural development fund cess) fee on paddy by the Haryana government as an anti-farmer-trader decision and demanded immediate reversal of the decision from the BJP-JJP government.
Strongly condemning the decision of BJP-JJP government to increase HRDF fee in mandis on all varieties of paddy including 1509, Muchchal, Sarabati, 1121 from 0.5 percent to 2 percent, Surjewala said that with this short-sighted decision of Haryana in Corona period, the farmers will either have to sell his crop in the mandis of the neighboring states or he will have to sell the paddy to the traders at Rs 100-120 per quintal cheaper.
He reminded that in June last year, the Khattar-Chautala government had also increased the market fee in the state from 0.5 per cent to 2 per cent, which had caused loss to farmers, brokers and rice millers. Now with this new decision, their backs will be broken.
Surjewala said that last year, 42.50 lakh metric tonnes of basmati and 1509 paddy were produced in the state, while 56 lakh metric tonnes of parmal was produced. But, naturally, the farmers will have to bear the worst effect of this decision.
The farmer will either have to sell his paddy in neighboring states like Punjab-Delhi, which will cost the farmer his time as well as the cost of transport to other states, which will increase the cost.
Shri Surjewala said that if the farmers go to the mandis of other states to sell their crops, it will cause them financial loss but also the state government will get less revenue. As our paddy goes to the neighbouring states, the state government will not be able to get the tax as expected.
In case of sale of paddy in the state, increased HRDF fee from the open market prices of the merchant country or abroad, which will reduce the income of about 100 to 120 rupees per quintal and will recover it naturally from the farmers. As per this decision, the economic burden of about Rs. 500 crore will fall on the farmers of the state.
Surjewala said that paddy is grown in abundance in large parts of our state including Yamunanagar, Kaithal, Ambala, Jind, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Panipat, Karnal and Sonipat districts. When there will be economic loss to the farmers of all these districts, it will also have a direct effect on the general public of the state.