Cyclone Nisarga: Wheat procured from farmers gets wet due to rains in parts of Madhya Pradesh

Importantly, the state government has so far procured record more than 1.25 crore metric tonnes of wheat from farmers since April 15. The process of procurement is slated to end on Friday.
Representational image (File photo| PTI)
Representational image (File photo| PTI)

BHOPAL: Significant quantity of wheat, procured recently from farmers and lying in sacks under the open sky, got wet due to rains caused by the weakened cyclone "Nisarga" over the last two days in various parts of Madhya Pradesh.

The state government, however, denied reports about the sacks containing wheat getting wet due to inadequate storage in various districts.

As per reports and visuals from various parts of the state, including Sehore, Bhopal, Indore, Dhar, Dewas, Jhabua and parts of Gwalior-Chambal region, owing to inadequate storage, the sacks full of recently procured wheat got wet in different parts of the state.

Importantly, the state government has so far procured record more than 1.25 crore metric tonnes of wheat from farmers since April 15. The process of procurement is slated to end on Friday.

Despite the weather department issuing timely alert about rainfall in various parts of the state, including Bhopal, the inadequate storage led to wheat getting wet.

The former chief minister and state Congress chief Kamal Nath accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of failing inadequate storage of the wheat procured at the minimum support price. “Despite the early warning of rains due to the Nisarga cyclone, the state government failed to make adequate provisions for storing the wheat worth crores of rupees. The government is squarely responsible for allowing a significant quantity of wheat to be wasted in rain due to inadequate storage facilities,” said Nath.

The state principal secretary for food and civil supplies Sheo Shekhar Shukla denied reports of wheat getting wet due to inadequate storage. “We’ve got reports from all district collectors and the entire wheat is safe.

The state’s health and home minister Narottam Mishra, when questioned over the issue by journalists, said, “Over 1.25 crore metric tonnes wheat has been procured till date. Around 96% procured wheat is totally safe. Owing to the Nisarga cyclone, the arrival of rains this year has been early. But no farmer will have to bear the loss, as they’ve either been paid for the wheat procured or will soon be paid all their dues,” said Mishra.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com