Delhi HC seeks Centre's response on wheat import
The Delhi High Court today sought a response from the Centre on a petition that challenged its decision to import wheat allegedly at exorbitant prices.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought a response from the Centre on a petition that challenged its decision to import wheat allegedly at exorbitant prices.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna directed the government to file its response by October 9, the next date of hearing.
The Bench was hearing a PIL filed through advocate AK Thakur seeking direction to the Centre to cancel these transactions which caused of loss of crores of rupees to the public exchequer. The PIL also sought an enquiry into the transactions by an independent agency or CBI.
The petitioner contended that to meet the shortfall in the buffer stock, government placed the order of 5.7 lakh MT of wheat in July with three foreign firms at a much higher price of USD 325 per metric ton in comparison to $263, the lowest bid received in May in a global tender floated by State Trading Corporation.
The government later decided to import 8 lakh tons of wheat at a whopping price of USD 390 per ton, Thakur said.
The government has offered a price of Rs 1,600 per quintal to the foreign sellers while Indian farmers are getting only Rs 850 as Minimum Support Price. This is unjust treatment toward Indian farmers, the petitioner said.
It also said that the transaction was not done in a transparent manner and some element of corruption was deemed to be involved.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Khanna directed the government to file its response by October 9, the next date of hearing.
The Bench was hearing a PIL filed through advocate AK Thakur seeking direction to the Centre to cancel these transactions which caused of loss of crores of rupees to the public exchequer. The PIL also sought an enquiry into the transactions by an independent agency or CBI.
The petitioner contended that to meet the shortfall in the buffer stock, government placed the order of 5.7 lakh MT of wheat in July with three foreign firms at a much higher price of USD 325 per metric ton in comparison to $263, the lowest bid received in May in a global tender floated by State Trading Corporation.
The government later decided to import 8 lakh tons of wheat at a whopping price of USD 390 per ton, Thakur said.
The government has offered a price of Rs 1,600 per quintal to the foreign sellers while Indian farmers are getting only Rs 850 as Minimum Support Price. This is unjust treatment toward Indian farmers, the petitioner said.
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It also said that the transaction was not done in a transparent manner and some element of corruption was deemed to be involved.
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