Bharatiya Janata Party today charged the Government of mismanagement on the food front and resultant decision to import 5 million tons of wheat from other countries. It is not as if the country is facing the real shortage of wheat, which would have required such imports, but it is the inept handling of buffer stock, which has resulted in such a shameful decision.
Bharatiya Janata Party charged the Government of deliberately cutting on quantity of wheat procurement in last two years with the sole intention to cut the subsidy burden. This resulted in depletion of wheat stock in FCI godowns. The Government also allowed private and multinational companies to enter the market. This has resulted in hoarding. The FCI was unable to cater even the demand under PDS. It also failed to cater the rising demand by Atta mills in view of the changing wheat consumption pattern. The Government decided to cut the quantity under PDS from 35kg per month to 20kg per month. All these resulted in rising of prices of wheat, Atta, Maida and Bread. This is the story of Government's all round failure to deal with the situation.
Bharatiya Janata Party charged the Government that it will be paying more by importing than it is suppose to pay the farmer while procuring the wheat. The decision to import has come after long eight years and reminds us of the days of Australian Milo and PL 480 programme, before the advent of green revolution. The NDA not only piled up the stocks but increased the quantity for the masses under PDS. Even it exported the wheat. The UPA Government has brought disgrace to the country by not managing the food stocks properly.
The import will cost the Exchequer more than the procurement and will adversely affect the moral of the farmers. It will not even prove to be a moderator on price front. This decision is UPA's betrayal of the poor and the farmer. More ironical is the fact that the Prime Minister was unaware of the decision while he was addressing the press conference, wherein he assured sufficient food stock.
Bharatiya Janata Party charged the Government of deliberately cutting on quantity of wheat procurement in last two years with the sole intention to cut the subsidy burden. This resulted in depletion of wheat stock in FCI godowns. The Government also allowed private and multinational companies to enter the market. This has resulted in hoarding. The FCI was unable to cater even the demand under PDS. It also failed to cater the rising demand by Atta mills in view of the changing wheat consumption pattern. The Government decided to cut the quantity under PDS from 35kg per month to 20kg per month. All these resulted in rising of prices of wheat, Atta, Maida and Bread. This is the story of Government's all round failure to deal with the situation.
Bharatiya Janata Party charged the Government that it will be paying more by importing than it is suppose to pay the farmer while procuring the wheat. The decision to import has come after long eight years and reminds us of the days of Australian Milo and PL 480 programme, before the advent of green revolution. The NDA not only piled up the stocks but increased the quantity for the masses under PDS. Even it exported the wheat. The UPA Government has brought disgrace to the country by not managing the food stocks properly.
The import will cost the Exchequer more than the procurement and will adversely affect the moral of the farmers. It will not even prove to be a moderator on price front. This decision is UPA's betrayal of the poor and the farmer. More ironical is the fact that the Prime Minister was unaware of the decision while he was addressing the press conference, wherein he assured sufficient food stock.
( Shyam Jaju )
Office Secretary
Office Secretary
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