Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said that all the arrangements for smooth procurement of Paddy Crop season are in place in 17 Mandis and Purchase centres of SAS Nagar district.Reviewing the arrangements with the district procurement Agencies, Arhtiyas and Transportation contractors, she insisted upon the purchase as well as payment on the same day from the upcoming season starting from October 1, 2023. She said that it will be mandatory for all the agencies and Market Committee officials to ensure that the farmers should not face any difficulty in Mandis during Procurement operations.
The district has been expecting an arrival of 1.70 lakh Metric Tonnes of paddy crop in the season, she added. She asked the Sub Divisional Magistrates, District Mandi Officer and Secretaries of Market Committees to take care of the local level issues such as space crunch in old Mandis due to urbanisation, traffic problems and other problems etc. The deputy commissioner asked the Superintendent of Police, Traffic, H S Mann to oversee the traffic problems in Derabassi and Banur Mandis. SDM Kharar Davy Goyal and DMEO were entrusted with the task of holding meetings with the Arhtiyas of Kharar and Kurali to resolve the issues of space crunch in both Mandis.
DFSC Dr Navreet apprised the DC of the adequate stock of the gunny bags (Bradana) in the district. She added that the agencies have over 93 percent stock of gunny bags.The Deputy Commissioner asked the officials to strictly monitor the interstate illegal movement of the paddy crop to the district Mandis. A total of five Mobile Flying Squads have been formed with the inclusion of Civil as well as Police officials to check the interstate illegal movement of the crop to the district Mandis. Formation of more teams also is in offing, she added.
Similarly, as per the directions of Punjab Government, a bio metric authentication of the farmers would also be started in Mandis on pilot basis by Mandi Board.The deputy commissioner also emphasized on arrival of dry and ripened crop in the Mandis to avoid Chaos. Later on, interacting with the Arhtiyas, the Deputy Commissioner assured them of the uninterrupted paddy procurement operations and also sought their cooperation too for the hassle free purchase.
Acceding to their demand of lifting of procured grain from day one, she asked the Agencies and Transportation contractors to make it sure to narrowing the possibility of glut in the Mandis.