The Hindu : National : BJP demands CBI probe into wheat import

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Saturday, Jul 14, 2007
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BJP demands CBI probe into wheat import

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into the import of nearly 10 lakh tonnes of wheat at a price range of $320 to $360 a tonne. On Thursday it had demanded the resignation of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said here on Friday the BJP would raise the issue in Parliament. He wanted to know why as early as March this year the Government announced its intention to import large quantities of wheat when the prices on the international market were high and such an announcement would necessarily push up prices. Why indeed was there any need to import when the domestic production was higher than the previous year’s?

The higher production, the BJP said, should have provided the opportunity to the Government to offer higher prices to farmers to meet most of its requirement for the public distribution system and the buffer stock.

Timing of import

Even if the Government desired to import wheat to have a comfortable buffer stock, why was the decision taken to place the order in July when the international market price was high?

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