Side-stepping from the everyday ruckus on demonetization in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition attacked the government on Fridayfor completely waiving off import duty on wheat, the main Rabi crop that currently is being sown.
Side-stepping from the everyday ruckus on demonetization in the Rajya Sabha, the opposition attacked the government on Fridayfor completely waiving off import duty on wheat, the main Rabi crop that currently is being sown.
CPM leader Sitaram Yechury raised the matter in zero hour and said, he had given a notice under rule 267 to suspend business of the day to discuss the decision that will “ruin Indian farmers” while MNCs will rake in super-profits.
Calling it a shameful act, Yechury said, it will lead to food riots. “This is against the interest of the nation and its farmers. It is an anti-national act,” Yechury added.
Joined in by Congress, BSP, SP, JDU and other Left members, he said the move to slash import duty on wheat from 10 per cent to zero at a time when the country has enough buffer stock will hit the farmers’ hard.
The move ahead of the winter wheat crop will help MNCs to dump cheap wheat from US, France and Ukraine, opposition members alleged.
Allay allegations, union minister for food and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan responded by claiming there was no shortage of wheat in the country and the decision has been taken to care of the domestic prices which have shown an upward trend in recent weeks.
“There is no shortage of wheat, our buffer stocks are full....This is a temporary decision which the government has taken because there are indicators of rise in wheat prices due to hoarding,” Paswan said.
The government has assured the farmers that it will buy all the wheat they want to sell are raised MSP price of Rs. 1625 per quintal, added Paswan.
However, sources in the agriculture ministry said, the import duty has been waived off to create enough buffer stocks as there are indicators that wheat sowing has taken a hit because of demonetization and the hoarders may create further scarcity to reap benefits.
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