Chandigarh, Sep 17 Setting the target to procure 172 lakh metric tonnes of paddy at the rate of Rs 2,389 per quintal, Punjab Food, Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday formally commenced the procurement from Bhogpur Dana Mandi in Jalandhar district.
Reviewing the procurement arrangements, the minister said the government is determined to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement for all stakeholders.
Despite the challenges posed by floods, he said arrangements had been made across the state to ensure that farmers face no implications in selling crops, said Kataruchak.
He said the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy has been fixed at Rs 2,389 per quintal, and the government has already secured Cash Credit Limits (CCL) of Rs 15,000 crore for September and Rs 27,000 crore for October.
He said that adequate arrangements of bardana (gunny bags) have been made to avoid inconvenience to the farmers. This year, the target of 172 lakh metric tonnes of paddy procurement has been given to the state, but arrangements have been made to procure nearly 190 lakh metric tonnes.
The minister assured that lifting and payment will go hand in hand, with prompt transfer of payments directly into farmers' accounts.
He directed officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the Punjab Mandi Board, and the district administration to personally monitor operations in markets to ensure transparency and efficiency.
The Punjab Mandi Board has operationalised 1,822 purchase centres to ensure smooth procurement, besides ensuring adequate arrangements with regard to electricity, clean drinking water and other amenities in the centres.
During his visit, he also interacted with farmers Gurkirat Singh, Jaspal Singh, and Sukhraj Singh, who appreciated the swift procurement process in Bhogpur Dana Mandi.
The minister assured them that their payments would be made at the earliest. He also appealed to farmers to bring only fully dried paddy to the mandis, as higher moisture levels could hinder procurement.
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