New Delhi: Paddy and millet procurement in Haryana and Punjab will start tomorrow “in the interests of the farmers”, Ashwini Choubey, the Union Minister of State for Food, said Saturday afternoon after a meeting in Delhi with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and his deputy, Dushyant Chautala.
“As per decision taken, the Haryana has government has assured that paddy procurement will start from tomorrow (Sunday).
They have made everything ready. Procurement in Punjab is already in process… from tomorrow both states will begin buying,” he said.
“Due to delay in monsoon, the central government had postponed start of procurement of paddy and millet to October 11 from October 1 this year… There are demands for an early start. The procurement will start tomorrow,” Mr Khattar confirmed.
Yesterday, new Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Channi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss the farm laws and ask the centre to start buying paddy and millet.
The meeting between Mr Choubey and the Haryana Chief Minister today came hours after massive protests erupted outside Mr Khattar’s home in Karnal district.
Between 1,000 and 1,500 angry farmers were protesting the delayed purchase of their crops and signalled their intention to camp overnight.
Visuals from the area showed farmers, who were briefly doused with water cannons, standing on a pile of yellow police barricades and shouting angrily, while a handful of security forces in riot gear look on.
Protests in Haryana’s Yamunanagar also turned violent after protesters broke police barricades near the residence of state minister Kanwar Pal.
In Punjab, protesters also gathered outside the residence of newly-inducted minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa in Gurdaspur and MLA Brahm Mohindra.
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