Ludhiana, September 10
The labour unions especially those representing the migrant labourers have condemned the recent hike in MSP of paddy by Rs 20 as they fear the poor labourers would have to shell out a hefty amount on the subsequent increase in rice prices.
More than 5 lakh migrant labourers in the city are mostly dependent on rice for its diet. Mr Arjun Paswan, a labourer working at the Gill Road, said, “The average price of “parmal” rice has already been increased from Rs 12 to 14 per kg affecting lakhs of labourers. No one talks about our interests. The wages have not increased over the past many years but the price of rice as well as flour increases every year.”
Interestingly, the labour unions are not in a position to oppose the government decision. Mr Sarabjit Singh, a trade unionist belonging to INTUC, said, “The hike of Rs 20 per quintal in paddy prices may look too small to the media, politicians and the farmers, but it would result in a heavy burden on the labourers especially the migrant labourers. An average increase of Rs 2 per kg in rice prices, that has already occurred and this means a monthly burden of more than Rs 1 crore on the five lakh migrants in the city. But in the prevailing political environment in the state, no political party or even trade union is ready to launch a protest against the decision.”
The critics however, say that the increase in MSP is not too much as compared to hike in prices over past years. Mr Yash Pal Ghai, additional general secretary, Government Pensioners’ Association, said, “The government has taken care of the farmers and consumers’ interests by raising MSP by Rs 20 per quintal. The middle class would tolerate this increase without much difficulty.”
Further, as rice is not the staple diet of Punjabis a large section of population has not been affected. The enquiries made with the Food Supply Department revealed that there were few takers for the 2014 quintal bimonthly rice quota for the district under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). There is a provision of providing 4 kg rice every month at the rate of Rs 5.78 per kg to the Scheduled Caste families living below the poverty line under the scheme.
Mr Baldev Singh, another unionist, and a BPL card holder belonging to the Scheduled Caste said sarcastically, “There is no scheme for the poor people in this country. We have never got even 25 gram of rice or wheat on the ration card, and you talk about 4 Kg rice on subsidised rates every month.” The labourers say that the food grains may continue to rot in the godowns of FCI and other state agencies, but they would never get the foodgrains at a reasonable rate.
Mr Maheshinder Singh Grewal, local MLA of the Sarb Hind Shiromini Akali Dal and former minister, like other politicians, had demanded that the MSP of paddy be increased by Rs 50 per quintal.
