Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], September 15 (ANI): Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that Chhattisgarh supplied less rice to the Centre than promised and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is misleading people on the issue.

Addressing a press conference, Goyal said,"I was so surprised over the letter of Bhupesh Baghel requesting to supply 86.5 lakh more tons of rice. The government wrote a letter to the Central government dated August 3 in which the food secretary had said that the estimated rice production which was 138 lakh tones in 2022-23 is now going tobe 136 lakh tons in 2023-24. So, the rice quantity is decreasing and the Chief Minister is writing to me that they will give Centre 86.5 lakh ton more."Union Minister Goyal said the state government failed to provide the quantity they usually claim.

"We dig deeper and find two surprising situations, last year they said that we will provide 61 lakh tons of rice in 2022-23, later the state government reduced it to 58.65 lakh tons. As of today till September 13, even after claiming 58 lakh tons, till now only 53 lakh tons of rice has been received and the deadline is of September 30. They failed to supply the quantity they usually claim," Piyush Goyal said.

Goyal also targeted CM Baghel and alleged, "This shows how Baghel is trying to mislead the people of Chhattisgarh, he is cheating and cheating in every possible way, he is trying to fool the people."Goyal also alleged that through this move, they might try to commit some kind of irregularities.

"The state government has signed an MoU with the central government in 2019 which states that the extra stock should be given to the central government and in times of scarcity Centre will help the state government. The state government should ensure dispatch of 61 lakh tons they promised," Goyal said.

Union Minister further challenged CM Baghel to ensure delivery of said quantity and said the central government will procure them all.

"Bhupesh Baghel is seeing his defeat and people have trust on PM Modi. Central government is ready to procure all the rice but the CM should ensure delivery of previous year's target.

Meanwhile, he challenged Bhupesh Baghel-led government to ensure delivery of 86 lakh tons, he will ensure the jute bags for it. (ANI)