Today, Aam Aadmi Party’s State Chief Spokesperson, MLA, and former Punjab Minister S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal formally launched the government procurement of wheat—the main rabi crop brought by farmers for sale—in major grain markets of Ajnala tehsil, including Ajnala city, Chamiyari, Sudhar, and Awan (near Ramdas), with great enthusiasm.
On the occasion, Dhaliwal said that the government led by Punjab Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers, commission agents, and mandi laborers (palledars). In line with this commitment, proper and effective arrangements have been made through coordination among procurement agencies, commission agents, laborers, and farmers to ensure the purchase of every single grain of wheat arriving in mandis across Punjab, including the Ajnala region.
Criticizing the central government’s “stepmotherly” attitude toward farmers, commission agents, and laborers of Punjab, Dhaliwal said that despite this approach, no inconvenience will be allowed to affect farmers during procurement. He further stated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann had raised several key issues in a meeting with Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Shri Prahlad Joshi.
These included relaxation in procurement norms for discolored wheat grains from approximately 1.30 lakh acres affected by unseasonal rains and hailstorms, increasing compensation beyond ₹6,800 per acre, raising commission agents’ commission to 2.5% on MSP rates, releasing ₹9,000 crore of pending Rural Development Fund, providing incentives to farmers managing crop residue without burning stubble, increasing APF for laborers, and rationalizing about ₹500 crore in additional interest charged by banks during procurement operations.
However, despite positive assurances, the central government has not taken concrete action on these demands. Dhaliwal added that despite the Centre’s stance, Punjab has set an example by becoming the first state to provide ₹20,000 per acre as compensation for crops damaged due to natural disasters.
He also highlighted that Punjab has achieved a 94% reduction in stubble burning incidents with farmers’ cooperation and has been recognized at the national level. He informed that due to favorable weather over the past 2–3 days, about 5 lakh metric tonnes of wheat have arrived in mandis so far, out of which around 1 lakh tonnes have been procured at MSP.
Arrangements have also been made to ensure payment to farmers within 24 hours and lifting of wheat within 72 hours. On this occasion, Dhaliwal also honored farmers, officials of procurement agencies, market committee staff, and other prominent individuals present at various mandis.
Among those present were Khushpal Singh Dhaliwal, Advocate Amandeep Kaur Dhaliwal, Chairman Baldev Singh Babbu Chetanpura, Market Committee Ajnala Secretary Amardeep Singh Kaura, Mandi Supervisor Kabal Singh Sandhu (Gujjarpura), Nagar Panchayat President Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Urban President Amit Aul, Inderjit Singh Pandori, Harjit Singh Aliwal, Dalbir Singh Ghulli, AFSO Sandeep Singh, along with office-bearers of commission agent unions, officials of procurement agencies, and staff members.