Chandigarh, 7 October:- Haryana Chief Minister Shri Nayab Singh Saini has issued strict directions to officials to ensure the immediate lifting of paddy and bajra being procured in the state’s mandis, so that farmers do not face any kind of difficulty in selling their produce. The entire process, from procurement and lifting to payment, should function smoothly in the mandis.
The Chief Minister was presiding over a meeting held in Chandigarh on Wednesday to review the procurement process of Kharif crops. Chief Secretary Shri Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Shri Vijender Kumar, Principal Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Smt. Amneet P. Kumar, along with senior officers of the concerned departments, were present in the meeting.
5 Lakh Quintals of Paddy Procured So Far
Officials informed the Chief Minister during the meeting that 5 lakh quintals of paddy have been procured so far under the ongoing Kharif crop procurement process in the state. The Chief Minister directed officials to ensure that the lifting arrangements keep pace with the increasing arrivals in the mandis, so that unnecessary stocks do not accumulate and farmers do not face any difficulty in bringing their crops to the mandis.
The Chief Minister said the government will ensure that Haryana farmers receive the Minimum Support Price of ₹2,900 per quintal for bajra this year. This year, the government will procure bajra at ₹2,300 per quintal. If a farmer gets a price higher than ₹2,300 per quintal in the open market, the government will compensate the difference between the sale price and the MSP of ₹2,900 under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana. Under the scheme, farmers will receive a benefit of ₹600 per quintal. Officials informed the meeting that bajra is currently being sold in the open market at an average price of around ₹2,235 per quintal. Besides this, bajra is also being procured by private dealers.
Officials informed the meeting that last year, the government had initially fixed the procurement price of bajra at ₹2,150 per quintal and later revised it to ₹2,200 per quintal. The difference between the procurement price fixed by the government and commission agents and the MSP of ₹2,900 per quintal was separately compensated by the government.
Administrative Secretaries to Visit Mandis and Submit Reports
The Chief Minister directed administrative secretaries to personally visit the mandis, assess the ground situation regarding procurement, lifting and facilities for farmers, and submit reports to the government. Senior officers should visit the mandis and monitor the actual status of arrangements. In addition, an officer of HCS rank has been appointed in every mandi to streamline the procurement process.
The Chief Minister said that a team of departmental officials has been constituted regarding paddy procured last year that remains with rice millers. For the convenience of traders, an amount of ₹2,777 per quintal has been fixed.
Deputy Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Yashpal, Managing Director, HAFED, Chandrashekhar Khare, Director, Food and Supplies, Dr Anshaj Singh, and several other senior officers were present at the meeting.
