The farmers won’t be made to encounter any difficulty in the mandis and it is being ensured that every single bale of grain produced so laboriously by the farmers is lifted and payment credited into their accounts within stipulated time frame. These views were expressed by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak while inspecting Wheat procurement operations at Dana Mandi Sangrur.
He was accompanied by the Sangrur MLA Narinder Kaur Bharaj. He reiterated that the Punjab Government under the leadership of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stands fully committed to ensure a hassle free and successful procurement season.
Divulging more, the Minister said that till April 19th, 3872735.53 Metric Tonne (MT) of Wheat has arrived in all the mandis of the State out of which 3416926.10 MT has been procured by various procurement agencies while the traders have accounted for 6163.30 MT of the produce.
An amount of Rs. 1818.31 Crore has been credited into the accounts of the farmers. In the 170 mandis of Sangrur, 9,50,000 MT Wheat arrival is expected out of which 400238.97 has arrived till now. A total of 352766 MT of the Wheat has been procured and payment to the tune of Rs. 351.81 Crore made to the farmers.
The Minister further added that lifting is also proceeding smoothly and till date 30158.45 MT of the crop has been lifted in mandis of Sangrur. Adding more, Mr. Kataruchak said that the State has been given the target to procure 122 LMT of wheat this season.
While interacting with the farmers and the arhtiyas, the Minister also took feedback from them and stated that in the previous regimes the farmers had to face shortage of Bardana, Lifting and Payment issues but the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has permanently resolved these issues and in the process has set an example during the last 4 years.
The Minister disclosed that the 9 procurement seasons during the last 4 years have been very successful and hassle free and expressed pride at the fact that Punjab is the food bowl of the country which has repeatedly demonstrated its capability to ensure successful procurement seasons on such a big scale each time.
The farmers as well as the arhtiyas termed the procurement process as transparent & hassle free and said that the procurement and the lifting of their produce has been on time. They also appreciated the pro-farmer approach of the State Government.