Cotton Purchase Centres by October: Government Assures Court
By 2024-07-20 10:39:23
October Cotton Purchasing Centers: Government Guarantees Court
Nagpur: On Thursday, the central government assured the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court that it will open cotton procurement centres for farmers by October and expedite the release of any pending dues.
This assurance was given during a hearing in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Shriram Satpute from Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra Sansthan. Satpute sought directives for the central and state governments to commence cotton procurement before the Diwali festival and ensure payments are deposited into farmers’ accounts within seven days.
He argued that delays in opening procurement centres force farmers to sell their produce to traders at prices below the guaranteed minimum support price (MSP), causing financial losses.
The High Court had previously instructed both governments to submit data on payments made to cotton-selling farmers within seven days of purchase at government-run procurement centres. Additionally, both were asked to explain any delays in payments.
On Wednesday, the central government explained that payment delays occurred because transactions are directly deposited into farmers’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. These transactions are routed through the Akola head office of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) for the Vidarbha region.
The judges then sought a comprehensive reply from the State Textile Department’s principal secretary and the CCI, detailing the number of payments released to farmers after procurement. The central government’s representative informed the court that all efforts were being made to streamline the payment process and ensure timely disbursement.
The High Court granted a final opportunity for the Union government’s textile ministry secretary and CCI to file their responses regarding the procurement and payment issues. The petitioner emphasized the importance of timely establishment of procurement centres and prompt payments to safeguard farmers’ interests and prevent exploitation by traders.
