Maharashtra assembly: Oppn stages walkout over crop procurement issues

Nagpur, Dec 11 (PTI) Opposition members staged a walkout of the Maharashtra assembly here on Thursday, claiming that Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal's reply on cotton and soybean procurement was not satisfactory.

BJP legislator Santosh Danve raised the issue of crop procurement during the question hour.

Several MLAs from the treasury benches, including former minister and BJP member Babanrao Lonikar and NCP legislator Prakash Solanke, expressed satisfaction with the state government's measures for procurement through its open centres.

Minister Rawal informed the House that, compared to last year, the government had increased the number of procurement centres and enhanced the procurement price.

Opposition members, however, claimed that many centres were not functional or were facing operational hurdles.

Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar alleged that the government was "merely providing a service" and not taking steps that would genuinely help farmers.

Traders, and not farmers, were benefiting at several centres, he charged, adding that cotton and soybean were being sold below the Minimum Support Price in parts of the state.

The Opposition members demanded more time for a discussion on the matter.

After receiving no response from Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Wadettiwar announced a walkout from the House.

Congress MLA Nana Patole and other Opposition members, including Rohit Pawar, Siddharth Kharat, trooped into the well of the House, raising slogans condemning the government for "cheating" and "exploiting" farmers, and walked out of the House. PTI ND GK