Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday sought immediate intervention of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to clear the deadlock between the procurement agencies and farmers in the state. Badal told Vajpayee that there was need for a pragmatic approach to resolve the problem allegedly created by the stringent paddy and rice specifications prescribed by the Union consumer affairs and public distribution ministry. The chief minister also lamented that the recent statement from Food Corporation of India (FCI) chairman Bhure Lal declaring that 80 per cent of about 125 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in Punjab was sub-standard even before a central team sent by prime minister to assess the situation only added insult to the injury. Ever since Lal's visit to Punjab, the share of FCI in paddy procurement which had crossed the figure of about 36 per cent has come down to 32 per cent as against the alloted share of 40 per cent, which is a serious concern, a state government release said.
Badal has requested prime minister to take an early decision in favour of the farmers and suggested even relaxation of the specifications of paddy, it said. He has also called on Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha to discuss the financial implications of the entire gamut of the issue, it said.
Vajpayee on October 5 deputed a high level team to Punjab for resolving the ongoing problems of procurement of paddy and it has meantime made a tour to the state. Bureau Report