Mumbai: It’s been three weeks since Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis promised a probe into alleged irregularities in the procurement of tur dal, but little has actually happened on ground.
The government’s plans for buying tur from farmers at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been lost in allegations of a scam worth hundreds of crores and likely involving government officers and traders.
“I am not saying about the magnitude of the scam or any number but yes, there have been irregularities which we will probe,” Mr. Fadnavis had told The Hindu . An official at the Chief Minister’s Office had said the government is aware of the issue and a probe committee would be set up within a week.
Farmer organisations and ministers have been alleging malpractice by traders in selling tur at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹5,050 fixed by the State government to profit around ₹800 to ₹1,000 per quintal. Over five lakh tonnes of tur was purchased by traders from Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) at rates well below the MSP offered at National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) centres. Farmer organisations have alleged that the nexus of traders, NAFED officers, State government officials and market committees has minted money in the tur trade since December 2016.
Tur production in Maharashtra went up manifold In 2016-17 from 4.44 lakh tonne in 2015-16 to 20.35 lakh tonne in 2016-17. The government has fixed the MSP at 5,050 per quintal and has twice extended the deadline for purchase. While the last date to purchase Tur at MSP was April 22, Mr Fadnavis held meetings with officials in Delhi following which the deadline was extended to May 31 and one lakh tonne Tur would be allowed to be procured till then. State has however said that it will approach the center to get permission to purchase more tur from farmers. Till April 22, as per the government estimate, total purchase through its agencies is only around 4 lakh tonne, and approximately 16 lakh tonne is yet to be bought.
New data from the State Marketing Department shows the government has procured an additional 47,374.65 MT of tur between April 27 and May 8 and 37,483.24 MT tur since May 9 to 17, after the Centre extended the last date for procurement to May 31.
