Wheat procurement going on smoothly: Min

Punjab Minister of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Lal Chand Kataruchak has assured all stakeholders that the total procurement of wheat would be accomplished by the end of this month as personnel in various departments had been cautioned of strict action and zero tolerance for negligence in performing their duties.

Referring to observations made by him during visits to various mandis in the state, Kataruchakk claimed that procurement, lifting and payments were going on more smoothly this year than it had previously.

“54 lakh MT of wheat, out of the 60 Lakh MT that had arrived at 1,865 mandis, has been purchased and payments worth Rs 7,986.15 crore have been credited to farmer’s accounts till date,” said the minister, claiming that all figures were higher than the corresponding figures on this date last year. He said 2.50 lakh cultivators had brought their produce to mandis till now.

The minister said the CM had already advised all deputy commissioners to ensure that farmers, commission agents and labourers were not harassed at any cost and payments of the procured commodities were made within 24 hours.

He said Punjab, which is known as the food bowl of India, will contribute 124 lakh MT to the central pool this year as the crop had been bumper.

Kataruchak heard grievances of labourers and commission agents, besides farmers, who complained of suffering losses due to weather adversaries and accidental fires. “We always stand with our farmers and the CM has already advised the authorities concerned to initiate a process for the assessment of losses to give compensation,” said Kataruchak.

Ludhiana