The Punjab Government today sanctioned Rs. 200 Crore to the Food and Civil Supplies Department, for the smooth running of ongoing Atta-Dal scheme to ensure the availability of ration to the needy people of the state. Disclosing this here today Adaish Partap Singh Kairon, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Punjab said that Punjab has created a new record as till date more than 112 lakh tones of wheat has been procured in the mandis of state besides expecting procurement of more than 120 lakh tones of wheat during current season. He said that it was the result of relentless efforts of Punjab farmers and the subsidies providing by the SAD-BJP government to the farming sector. Kairon said that SAD-BJP Government was fully committed to run Atta-Dal scheme without any interruption and hindrances, for which Rs. 200 crores have been sanctioned to his department by Punjab Government. He said that out of this amount Rs. 110 has been released, while the remaining amount would be disbursed within a day or two. He also every month Rs 50 crore would be released for this flagship programme of SAD-BJP government. Demanding abolition of conditions imposed by the Congress led UPA Government to use old gunny bags, Kairon said tht he would call on the Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies on Tuesday at Delhi to resolve this issue. He clarified that Punjab Government had written to the Union Government to make arrangements of gunny bags for 115 lakh tones of wheat but the Union government had only supplied for 108 lakh tones. He demanded the early release of remaining gunny bags so that there may not be any hurdles in the way of procurement of wheat.
He said that he would also call on the Union Petroleum Minister on Tuesday to enhance the quota of kerosene oil for Punjab. Kairon said that the SAD-BJP Government had put a demand to store 72 lakh tones of grains before Union Government but they got approval for the storage of 42 lakh tonnes. He said that out of the demanded capacity, a godown having storage capacity of 7.5 lakh tonnes has been constructed but the inspection teams of Union Government found some lapses. The Minister also asked to remove such lapses for starting of grain storage.Appreciating the hard labour of Punjab farmers, Kairon said that the farmers of Punjab has set a new record in wheat procurement since the agencies have been procured more than 112 lakh tonnes wheat till date besides procuring more than 10.24 lakh tonnes of wheat in a single day. Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included D.S. Grewal, Secretary Food and Civil Supplies and Director Food and Civil Supplies Harkesh Singh Sidhu besides other senior officials of the department.