West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has prompted the Centre to allow poppy civilization in the State, averring that delectables prepared with its seeds are integral to the Bengali cookery. Ms. Banerjee said ‘posto’ or poppy seeds are expensive as they’re cultivated only in many States. “Bengalis love ‘posto’. Why should it be cultivated in only four States? Why not in West Bengal, despite it being on our menu every day?” she said. “Why will we’ve to buy ‘posto’ from other countries at high prices? Why will West Bengal not get authorization for its civilization? I’ll ask members of the Opposition to write to the Centre on it,” the CM said on March 9.
The State has been trying to get authorization for civilization of the largely-regulated crop. The state has been trying to get authorization for civilization of the largely-regulated crop. “We’ve said that the state will cultivate it in husbandry farms. However, we will get them at Rs 100 (per kg), rather than Rs 1, If we can grow poppy then. At times, we’ve to take opinions unanimously. Not all poppies are medicines,” she claimed. Banerjee was speaking on budget conversations relating to the Food and inventories Department. The chief minister also said that as the Centre gave duty relief to basmati rice, it should extend analogous benefits to gobindobhog and tulaipanji kinds of rice produced in West Bengal. Banerjee was speaking about budget conversations relating to the Food and inventories Department. The chief minister also said that as the Centre gave duty relief to ‘basmati’ rice, it should extend analogous benefits to ‘gobindobhog’ and ‘tulaipanji’ kinds of rice produced in West Bengal.
Meanwhile, during the discussion on the state Budget of the Food and Supply department, minister Rathin Ghosh said that further than 97 percent Aadhaar confirmation has been done. Further than 92 per cent of authentication has been done from the ‘Duare Ration’ crusade. “More than 61 mobile CPCs have been stationed which are going to the remote areas to land rice from the growers.
