Kharar (Davinder Kaur Sahota), October 5:- Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Shri Lal Chand Kataruchak said today that the Bhagwant Mann government has made adequate arrangements to ensure smooth and uninterrupted procurement of paddy across the state. He said that the government is continuously monitoring the procurement process so that farmers do not face any difficulty in the mandis.
While reviewing the ongoing paddy procurement arrangements at Kharar Grain Market, the Cabinet Minister said that so far, 3.83 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have arrived in the mandis of Punjab, out of which 3.44 lakh metric tonnes have been procured by the state procurement agencies. He said that farmers have already been paid Rs 188 crore against the paddy procured.
Shri Kataruchak said that the pace of paddy lifting would be further accelerated in the coming days. He assured the farmers that there was no shortage of gunny bags in the mandis and that all necessary arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth functioning of the procurement process.
He said that the Punjab government would easily achieve the target of procuring 180 lakh metric tonnes of paddy fixed for the government quota. He said that the Reserve Bank of India has already approved a cash credit limit of Rs 42,700 crore for procurement operations.
During the review of procurement arrangements, the Minister interacted with farmers, commission agents and other stakeholders and also obtained feedback regarding the difficulties being faced by them in the mandi and the arrangements. In the presence of the Minister, PUNSUP procured the paddy crop of farmer Shri Mandeep Singh, a resident of Tripri, who had reached the mandi with his crop on the same day.
Shri Kataruchak directed the procurement agencies to ensure that payment is made into the bank accounts of farmers within 24 hours of the entry of paddy procurement being recorded in the government records. He said that all procurement agencies should work in coordination and complete the processes of procurement, lifting and payment within the stipulated time.
On the occasion, Member of Parliament Shri Malvinder Singh Kang said that the existing stocks of foodgrains in the state would be cleared in coordination with the Union Ministry of Food. He said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann had already written to Union Food Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi in this regard.
He said that the existing stock pertains to the government quota and that it is the responsibility of the Central Government to clear this stock to make the required space available for the storage of the incoming paddy.
Chairman of the Punjab Youth Development Board Shri Parminder Singh Goldy said that issues arising at the local level were being resolved in coordination with the concerned departments so that farmers do not face any inconvenience in the mandi.
On the occasion, Market Committee Kharar Chairman Shri Sukhjinder Singh Bittu, SDM Kharar Shri Gurmeet Singh, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller Shri Varinder Kumar, officials of various procurement agencies, Mandi Board officials and other concerned officials were present.
