MPP urges CM to mitigate farmers' woes
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, August 05 2021:
While holding the agriculture minister responsible for the problem being faced farmers in getting urea fertilizer, Manipur People's Party (MPP) has urged the chief minister to intervene into the matter and take immediate steps for providing urea to the farmers in adequate quantity.
In a statement, MPP vice president Dr S Ibomcha said that the chief minister should initiate action against the agriculture minister and take up necessary steps to ensure that there is no shortage of urea for farmers.
Amidst the suffering brought on COVID-19 pandemic, farmers of the state tried their luck by sowing paddy seeds in August on dry fields against normal sowing time in June/July due to lack of rainfall.
The Union government sanctioned adequate urea fertilizer for the farmers of the state but there has been rumour about giving away 70,000 urea bags to MLAs and ministers.
The remaining urea bags have been handed over to DCs of Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts for distribution to the farmers.
However, this system indeed is politics played by agriculture minister with an eye on the upcoming election and the farmers condemned it, he said, adding that MPP also remorseful of the current system of distribution of urea.
Instead of taking up steps to provide water to dry paddy fields, MLAs and ministers are acquiring urea and distributing the same to their near and dear farmers while the remaining bags are being sold off at high price, the MPP vice president alleged.
Dr S Ibomcha further contended that workers of agriculture minister are selling one bag of urea at Rs 600/700 in black market against the government fixed rate of Rs 270 while farmers are facing difficulty in getting urea.
He also questioned as to how urea fertilizer are being sold at exorbitant price in the market when the agriculture department has failed to provide the same.to the farmers.