‘Arhtiyas’ to get interest on dues: Haryana CM

Chandigarh, April 8 : Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said all those arhtiyas whose commission and labour wage dues have been pending since the last procurement season would get interest on them for the delayed amount.

"The process of payment of interest will start from today and the arhtiyas have been asked to get their accounts verified.

Necessary directions in this regard have been issued to the Food and Civil Supplies Department," an official statement quoting Khattar said.He said while presiding over a virtual review meeting of the crop procurement in which all Deputy Commissioners and officers concerned were present.

Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala and Agriculture Minister were also present.The Chief Minister said recently a meeting with arhtiyas or commission agents was held during which important issues were discussed and the government had assured them that they would not face any problem during the current wheat procurement season.

At the meeting, the Deputy Commissioners were told that regular talks should be held with the arhtiyas so as to ensure that they do not face any problem.For the farmers, there should be hassle-free procurement that commenced on April 1.This season the state has announced that there would be 100 per cent direct online transfer of minimum support price (MSP) in the accounts of the farmers.Last year, the state had transferred over 50 per cent of the payments directly to the accounts of the farmers and the rest was made through arhtiyas.

Earlier, the government was transferring the amount into the accounts of arhtiyas, which would later be released to farmers.Arhtiyas, who were charging 2.5 per cent as commission earlier, will no longer be the recipient of the money in the present scenario.