Govt claim fall flat as farmers not paid even after five days of procurement
Tall claims of state government of paying farmers for their produce within 48 hours of procurement have fallen flat as the district farmers have been waiting for past five days for the payment of their sold produce.
Tall claims of state government of paying farmers for their produce within 48 hours of procurement have fallen flat as the district farmers have been waiting for past five days for the payment of their sold produce.
The paddy procurement season was started on October 1. The farmers have been feeling 'cheated' from the procurement agencies and the banks. They are unsure when they would get their payments.
HT had reported that, government agencies including Pungrain, Punsup, Markfed, Punjab state warehouse corporation (PSWC) and Food Corporation of India had procured around 9652 metric ton (MT) paddy from grain markets till October 4 in Jalandhar circle.
Only, Pungrain had made some payments to farmers in some grain markets.
Officials claim that documentation processes of lifting and banking requirement usually take three to four days. They also have termed government's claims of clearing payments in 48 hours 'a political gimmick'.
Not only the payments were being delayed, the process of lifting of paddy was also to be started by most of agencies as paddy as till October 4, only Markfed and FCI had lifted some of quantity of procured paddy.
Gurpreet Singh, a farmer said, "We have not yet received payment even after the purchase of our produce four days ago. This is not the first time; government had promised to give payment within 48 hours but each time we get disappointment."
On October 1, deputy commissioner said the food and supplies department should ensure payment to the farmers within 48 hours of lifting of their produce from the procurement centers and also ordered to ensure lifting of produce procured by various agencies within 72 hours of procurement but nothing has materialized.
District food and supply controller Rakesh Singla said agencies have started giving payments from Sunday and all payments will be cleared within a day.
District mandi officer, Harinder Randhawa said things will be on track soon.