Farmers Movement Archive

Arhtiyas oppose Centre’s directive on direct payment to farmers

BATHINDA: The arhtiyas (commission agents) are up in arms in Punjab against the Union food and consumer affairs minister Piyush Goyal’s latest missive to Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh that no more relaxation to be given to state regarding direct payment to farmers upon procurement of grains. Taking a cue from the farmers, the arhityas have decided to hold a mahapanchayat at Bagha Purana town in Moga district on April 5 where they will decide their future course of action against the central government directive. The arhtiyas may take some tough decisions and are expected to give a call for closing mandis and not to cooperate in the procurement process. The procurement of food grains in Punjab is held through arhtiyas. Going by the central government stand on direct payment to farmers in digital mode, the arhtiyas had decided to close the mandis from April 1 but decided otherwise after the state government deferred the start of wheat procurement from April 1 to April 10. In all 130 lakh tone wheat is expected to arrive in mandis for procurement which is purchased at minimum support price. The entire procurement is done through arhtiyas and in return they get 2.5% commission. The commission has not been discontinued but arhtiyas will still lose a foothold as earlier farmers got money from them (arhtiyas) after sale of grains and the arhtiyas had the liberty to deduct the loaned money from farmers after procurement. Now, arhtiyas feel when farmers will get money directly into their accounts, they will have to visit farmers to get back the loaned money. “The central government is trying to cause strain between relations of farmer and arhtiyas apart from causing loss to arhtiyas for strongly standing by farmers in their struggle against the three contentious farm laws. In other states, farmers might not have cordial relations with arhtiyas but here in Punjab both are inseparable. We will oppose the directive of the central government and want the state government also to oppose it vehemently. We have decided to hold a mahapanchyayat at Bagha Purana on April 5, where we will decide on the next course of action,” said Vijay Kalra, president of Federation of Arhtiya association of Punjab. Arhtiyas, too, have got support from protesting farm groups. Senior farm leader Jagmohan Singh says the central government is taking anti-Punjab stance and finding ways to cause loss to various sections of society. “We will oppose such moves of the central government,” he said. BOX Ground not fertile in Punjab: Jyani The BJP too wants the move to be deferred for a year in Punjab. BJP leader and ex-minister Surjit Kumar Jyani feels the ground is not fertile in Punjab for making this move applicable and it should be deferred by at least a year and till then all the relevant records of landholding of farmers should be updated and loaded on the portal. “I will take up the matter with Piyush Goyal and BJP national president J P Nadda to get the move deferred by a year. I will seek time from the minister to meet him at the earliest,” Jyani told TOI.

The Times of India

2021-04-01

Amritsar