Pro-corporate Budget behind crisis: SKM
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) today alleged that the ongoing procurement crisis stemmed from pro-corporate Union Budget.
The Union Budget very clearly aimed at dismantling the Public Distribution System (PDS) and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) on crops, the SKM said. Accusing the Central Government of curtailing agriculture subsidy, the SKM said the Centre and its pro-corporate policies had derailed paddy procurement.
The union said the Centre had curtailed food and fertiliser subsidy in the Budgets of 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
Despite assurance by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, there’s little progress on procurement and lifting front, read the press release. The SKM claimed that the Food Corporation of India had failed to lift the last season’s stock from warehouses.
The Centre has dismantled the Central Warehousing Corporation which resulted in reduction of storage facilities, they said. The FCI has also rented out its storage facilities to corporates. The Punjab unit of the SKM would hold a meeting in Ludhiana tomorrow to decide on future course of action.
