Meet Hayer Demands Restoration of Commission for Aadhatiyas in Parliament

Chandigarh/New Delhi(The Uttam Hindu): Aam Aadmi Party’s Member of Parliament from Sangrur, Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, raised two key issues related to crop procurement during the Zero Hour in Parliament. He demanded that the commission for commission agents (Aadhatiyas) on wheat and paddy be restored to 2.5% of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), as it was earlier. He also urged the government to increase the number of special trains for transporting paddy from warehouses in Punjab.

Meet Hayer emphasized the need for an immediate resolution of these issues to ensure the smooth procurement of crops. He pointed out that until 2019-20, the commission for Aadhatiyas on wheat and paddy was 2.5% of the MSP. However, the central government later changed it to ₹46 per quintal. This rate has remained unchanged despite rising inflation, which led to a strike by commission agents in recent times. The strike directly affected crop procurement in Punjab.

Supporting the demands of Aadhatiyas, Meet Hayer urged the government to restore their commission to 2.5% of MSP. He stressed that resolving this issue immediately is essential for ensuring a smooth procurement process.

The MP also raised concerns about rice millers, demanding an increase in the number of special trains allocated for Punjab. He pointed out that earlier, paddy transportation from Punjab used to be completed between March and April, but now, even after six months, it has not been done. This has led to storage problems and damage to grains, causing losses worth crores. He stated that rice millers are facing heavy losses, and many rice mills are shutting down as a result.

Meet Hayer called for urgent action on both issues to prevent further disruptions in Punjab’s agricultural sector.