Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand took stock of wheat procurement in Bhagtanwala grain market.

Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak today took stock of the ongoing wheat procurement at the Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar. During his visit, he talked to farmers, commission agents and laborers and got information about the procurement system going on in the market.

On this occasion, Amritsar South MLA Dr. Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Amritsar Central MLA Dr. Ajay Gupta, Pansap Chairman Sardar Prabhbir Singh Brar, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Rohit Gupta, SDM-1 Alka Kalia, DFSC Harveen Kaur and officials of procurement agencies were present.

What did Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak say?

Talking to reporters at the Market Committee office after taking stock of the procurement in Bhagtanwala Mandi, Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann is committed to purchasing every grain of the farmers’ crop at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and farmers will not be allowed to face any kind of problem in the mandis.

The minister said that this time Punjab has got the target of 122 lakh metric tonnes for the central stock and despite the bad weather the state will meet this target. He said that concrete arrangements for procurement have been made in all the mandis of the state and he himself is visiting the mandis and reviewing the arrangements.

He informed that till last evening, 61 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has arrived in the mandis of the state, out of which about 57 lakh metric tonnes has been purchased. Payment is being made into the accounts of farmers within 24 hours and till now an amount of Rs 7109 crore has been released to the farmers. He also instructed the procurement agencies to ensure timely lifting of the purchased wheat.

Instructions to protect yourself from the weather

He said that all agencies and agents have been instructed to make adequate arrangements of tarpaulins and crates to protect the grains arriving in the markets from the effects of weather. The Cabinet Minister gave strict instructions to the officials that there should not be any laxity in the mandis and no farmer or commission agent should face any problem.

On this occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta said that till last evening, 2,64,603 metric tonnes of wheat had arrived in the mandis of Amritsar district, out of which 2,41,535 metric tonnes had been purchased. He said that as per the instructions of the Punjab Government, payment to the farmers is being ensured within 24 hours.