Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh today directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to take up the issue of outstanding payments of the Arhtiyas with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) on priority.At a meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Arhtiya Associations of Punjab led by its president Vijay Kalra, the Chief Minister assured them of his government’s full support in addressing their concerns.The Chief Minister asked the Food department to pursue the matter of their pending payments on account of loading and labour charges for the years 2015-16 and 2016-17 with FCI on urgent basis, after the delegation informed him that though they had been raising the matter with FCI for the past two years, it had not yet been resolved.Taking stock of arrival of Wheat in the Mandis in the ongoing Rabi season, the Chief Minister asked the Arhtiyas to ensure fool-proof arrangements for smooth procurement and lifting.The delegation members appreciated the steps taken by the Captain Amarinder Singh government to uplift the state’s farming and Arhtiya community and thanked the Chief Minister for ensuring hassle-free procurement and lifting, as well as timely payments to farmers in the last two crop seasons.Prominent amongst those present in the meeting were Special Principal Secretary to CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Federation Senior Vice President Amarjit Singh Brar, Vice Presidents Devi Dayal Goyal, Sadhu Singh Bhatt Majra, Rajesh Jain, Gurvinder Singh Rataul, Secretaries Sukhwinder Singh Sukha, Mahavir Singh and Jagtar Singh besides Manvir Singh Batala, Hardip Singh Laada and Kapil Shahkot.