Kartarpur MLA Balkar Singh and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal on Tuesday kick-started procurement of wheat at Grain Market Kartarpur wherein they directed the officials to ensure smooth conduct of entire procurement operations with an aim to facilitate farmers bringing their produce in Mandis.
Divulging the details, the MLA and DC said that this year as many as 5.25 lakh metric tonne wheat was expected to arrive across all 79 purchase centres in the districts and elaborate arrangements have already been put in place to procure every single grain. They reiterated that Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann was committed to ensuring a smooth and hassle-free procurement operations across the state with prime focus on facilitating farmers bringing their produce in grain markets.
They further mentioned that the district has witness arrival of around 1000 MT wheat in the Mandis of which over 900 MTs have been procured by the procurement agencies. They also mentioned that over 29 temporary sheds Ave also been set up in the district in view of bumper wheat production.
They added that arrangements like availability of potable water, cleanliness, shades, tarpaulins, bardana besides others were already made by the officials. Stressing on lifting and payment to farmers, they directed the officials that no stone be left unturned to make timely payments to farmers as per Government’s guidelines.
"There was no dearth of Bardana in Mandis which would lead towards a hassle-free season for farmers", they said. They said that the entire procurement operation would be accomplished smoothly as any kind of negligence would be dealt with strictly.
Meanwhile, the MLA and DC also interacted with some of the farmers present on the occasion and took their valuable feedback about arrangements made by the officials at grain markets. Pointing out further, District Food and Civil Supplies Controller Narinder Singh said that all labour and transport contracts are already in place and the lifting would be carried out within stipulated time frame.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Government has fixed MSP for wheat at Rs. 2425 per quintile. Meanwhile, Farmer Jaswinder Singh from Bulle village who has brought around 30 quintiles of wheat crop in Kartarpur Mandi expressed satisfaction over procurement arrangements.
He mentioned that his produce was immediately procured by the agencies just after reaching the Mandi. He highlighted that Jalandhar Administration has made elaborate arrangements for farmers which resulted into prompt procurement, lifting and payment.