DW BUREAU / Chandigarh Former Haryana Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday held the state government responsible for the disorder in the state's mandis with the onset of wheat procurement. He said the government has announced purchases of wheat from April 1 but did not make proper arrangements in the mandis. "Farmers who are reaching the market with their crops are being harassed as the government is making excuses that the online server is down. Farmers are being told that only persons who will get the message can come to the mandis to sell their crops," Hooda said. His assertions came as farmers across the state have been protesting against the poor management of wheat procurement. "Where will farmers go if they have already harvested their wheat and they haven't got the message? Will he take his harvested crop to his home and then to the mandis? This will double his labour and transport costs. This process has been adopted by the government to harass the farmers. The government should immediately procure farmers who are taking their crops to the market," the Leader of Opposition said. Hooda also opposed the decision to reduce the moisture content in wheat from 14 to 12 per cent. The decision was aimed to avoid paying the minimum support price (MSP). "Wheat will now be purchased in the mandis where the humidity will be less than 12 per cent which was earlier 14 per cent. Also, earlier the permissible level for mixed quantity (rye, mustard, chaff, etc.) before weighing was 0.75 per cent in a quintal which has now this has been reduced to 0.50 per cent. This will cause heavy economic losses to the farmers. Considering the impact of farmers, the government should immediately withdraw this decision," he said. The ex-CM also expressed concern over the severe unemployment in the state. He said though unemployment is at a peak in every section, but education has been hit the hardest. "About 45,000 posts of teacher in government schools are lying vacant. Even in schools, about 50 per cent of the posts of head master and principal are lying vacant. According to a report, 54 per cent of the schools in the Chief Minister's district Karnal do not have a head teacher. Despite this, the government is not making new recruitments," he said. Hooda said "if the government continues to run from its responsibility and does not recruit teachers, then the number of children in government schools will be reduced further and this will be used as an excuse to close other government schools". "The government's job is to build schools, not close them. The government's job is to provide affordable education to every child and not expensive education. Many government institutions, including schools, hospitals and medical colleges, are facing government's neglect today. Everywhere there is a huge shortage of staff. But instead of hiring, there is a freeze on new recruitment," he added. (editor@dailyworld.in)