Watch how the DM of Pilibhit in UP saved farmers from being fleeced by ‘mandi’ Commission agents

New Delhi: The video of DM Pulkit Khare in Mandi site of Pilibhit is going viral on social media. Social media users are hailing this Jan Seva by Pulkit Khare.

Pulkit Khare, the District Magistrate of Pilibhit saved hundreds of farmers from being fleeced by private traders, known as commission agents, at the grain ‘mandi’. The paddy farmers had expected to get the approved Minimum Support Price of Rs 1,868 per quintal but were being forced to sell at Rs 1,100 by the grain merchants. Farmers were selling their grains by incurring a loss of Rs 768 per quintal.

Watch what happened:

https://twitter.com/ManojTiwariMP/status/1316601848661372928

DM Khare suspended three officers in charge of government procurement agencies, after receiving complaints from farmers that rice mill owners and private traders were purchasing paddy at prices lower than the minimum support price.

The farmers had complained to the DM that ‘dictatorial conditions’ were prevailing at the state procurement centers of Karmachari Kalyan Nigam (KKN), UP Co-operative Union (UPCU) and UP Cooperative Federation (PCF), where the officers-in-charge were refusing to procure paddy on the false pretext of excess moisture in paddy.

As per government norms, up to 17 per cent moisture in paddy is permitted, but farmers were not being registered on the state government procurement portal. As a result, farmers were being forced to sell at Rs 1,100 per quintal to private traders, far below the minimum support price.