Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel writes a letter to the Prime Minister urging the removal of the ban on farmers' bonuses and providing the bonus amount of Rs. 3700 crore to the farmers

“Central Government should remove the ban on bonuses; it is rightfully owed to farmers”: Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel mentioned in his letter

Raipur, TNINS 

Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel has written a letter to Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi urging the removal of the ban on farmers' bonuses. In his letter, Mr. Baghel stated that the bonus is rightfully owed to farmers, who were supposed to receive Rs 3700 crore for the years 2014–15 and 2015–16, but the Central Government's bonus ban has withheld these funds. Mr. Baghel pointed out that a promise was made to farmers in 2013 to procure all their grains, with paddy to be procured at a rate of Rs 2100 per quintal and to provide an additional bonus of Rs 300 per quintal. However, in 2014, the Central Government prohibited bonuses on agricultural produce, leaving farmers in Chhattisgarh deprived of Rs. 3700 crore. This ban has been a longstanding issue affecting farmers' rightful earnings.

The Chief Minister highlighted in his letter that during the 2013–14 period, the previous state government had procured paddy at a minimum support price of Rs. 1350 per quintal. However, upon the formation of the Central Government in May 2014, a ban was imposed on bonuses for agricultural produce. Consequently, the previous state government was unable to provide bonuses to the state's farmers for the years 2014–15 and 2015–16.

Fearing farmers unrest, the Central Government lifted the ban on bonuses for the year 2016–17, enabling the previous government to provide a bonus of Rs. 300 per quintal to farmers for paddy procured during the years 2016–17 and 2017–18.

The Chief Minister further stated in his letter that after his government took office in 2018, the Central Government reinstated the ban on providing bonuses for paddy procured in June 2019. This ban remains in effect, preventing farmers across the country from receiving bonuses on agricultural produce.

In a bid to safeguard farmers' interests, the Chief Minister has written a letter to the Prime Minister, urging the removal of the Central Government's ban on bonuses for farmers. This action is aimed at ensuring that farmers receive the outstanding amount rightfully owed to them.