MP govt eases moong procurement norms after farmer talks
Bhopal, July 29
Facing mounting pressure from protesting farmers, the Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday announced a slew of concessions for moong growers, including raising the procurement limit to 60 per cent of eligible produce, extending the slot booking deadline by 10 days, and suspending the controversial e-token system with immediate effect.
The decisions were taken during a meeting between a group of ministers and representatives of the agitating farmers in Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Minister Aidal Singh Kansana announced the measures after the meeting.
The development came after hundreds of farmers, led by the Congress, marched from Narmadapuram to Bhopal demanding better procurement arrangements for moong, extension of the procurement period, and withdrawal of the e-token system.
The protesters attempted to march towards Chief Minister Mohan Yadav's residence before being stopped by police, following which the government invited farmer representatives for talks.
Announcing the decisions, Kansana said the state government had accepted several key demands of the farmers.
"While the Government of India's scheme provides for procurement of up to 25 per cent of production, the Madhya Pradesh government has decided to increase the procurement limit to 60 per cent. Every eligible farmer will be able to sell produce equivalent to 60 per cent of the approved quantity, calculated at three quintals per acre," he said.
The minister said the government had also decided to extend the slot booking deadline from August 10 to August 20 to enable more farmers to register and sell their produce.
Addressing complaints over the newly introduced e-token system, Kansana said the government had decided to suspend it until necessary improvements were made.
"Farmers were facing difficulties due to the new e-token arrangement. Based on the recommendations of the committee constituted to examine the issue, the e-token system has been suspended with immediate effect until the required corrections are carried out," he said.
He added that alternative arrangements would be put in place to ensure procurement continues without disruption and farmers do not face inconvenience.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone living in MP, I see both sides. The e-token system was a mess—my uncle couldn't even get a slot after trying for days. But this quick backtracking shows poor planning by the administration. At least they admitted the mistake. Hope the "alternative arrangements" work better.
60% procurement is good but not enough—many farmers have debts and need to sell more. Why can't the govt match what Punjab does? Also, the Congress-led protest helped push this, but politics aside, farmers' issues are non-partisan. Jai Kisan! 🇮🇳
Interesting how the govt always finds a solution when farmers take to the streets. Why not preempt these issues? The 25% central limit is too low for MP's climate. Glad they raised it to 60%, but this seems like a temporary fix. Let's see if payments happen on time.
My father is a moong farmer in Ujjain. The e-token system was a nightmare—he had to travel 40 km just to get a token that didn't work. Suspending it is a huge relief. But 60% of 3 quintals/acre? That's still not enough for those with small landholdings. More needs to be done. 😔
Good move by the MP government, but let's not forget—this is just one crop. What about soybean, wheat, and cotton farmers facing similar issues? The whole procurement system needs overhauling, not just tweaks after protests. At least CM Yadav showed some flexibility. Baby
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