Despite heavy losses incurred, Shiv Sena-BJP alliance government in the State did not make available even a rupee from the budget to make up the losses, Jawandhiya claimed.

The Sanghatana leader added that the scheme was launched in 1972 and losses under the scheme were Rs 470 crore till 1990. A total of Rs 360 crore out of this loss was recovered from farmers during Congress regime as loading-unloading charges.

Jawandhiya invited attention of the media persons towards misleading statement issued by Munshilal Gautam, former executive director of the scheme, that the scheme was purely political one and people had to suffer because of losses incurred under the scheme,

While Congress recovered part of the losses fromfarmers, alliance government did not make a budgetary provision and allowed losses to grow thereby maintaining status quo, Jawandhiya alleged. In fact, the State Government did not make funds available for the scheme from the State budget since 1972, he said.

``Flawed policy and anti-farmer politics are responsible for of losses under the MCPS,'' Jawandhiya alleged.

Expressing concern over announcement of low support price for cotton by central government led by any party, Jawandhiya said that the import-export policy is finalised under pressure from mill owners. No taxes are levied on imports while no encouragement is given for export, he alleged. However, significant subsidy is given on cotton export to western countries. While 35 per cent tax is levied on sugar import, a subsidy of Rs 10 per kg is given on export of grapes, he added. However, there is no such concession for cotton export, he lamented, Jawandhiya accused the State Government of misleading the farmers about the scheme.

SOIL TESTINGCAMP: Hevati Gram Panchayat in the district had organised a soil testing camp for the villagers recently.

S R Suranje of Deepak Fertilizers and Subhash Thool guided the villagers on collection and testing of soil samples and judicious application of chemical fertilizers in crop cultivation during.