Punjab food and civil supplies minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon has directed all heads of state procurement agencies to personally supervise the paddy procurement operations across the state beginning October 1 to ensure prompt lifting of the crop.
According to an official spokesman of the government, Punjab is eying to procure 137 MT of paddy this year as against 118 MT procured last year. As many as 1,806 purchase centres have been set up across the state.
Reviewing the arrangements for paddy procurement for the kharif season, 2015-16, in the state, Kairon said all efforts should be made to ensure smooth, hassle-free and quick procurement of paddy on the one hand, and facilitating farmers in getting timely payment of their produce on the other.
Farmers this time have preferred non-basmati varieties of paddy instead of basmati, that is why, more paddy arrival is being anticipated in Punjab.
Kairon said farmers should not be put to any inconvenience for the sale of their produce in mandis. He said good quality sturdy gunny bags with accurate weight would be ensured while packing the produce.
He said the officers concerned had been especially asked to visit the mandis during the procurement and ensure smooth lifting. He said the field staff would work day and night to procure the stocks even on Saturdays and Sundays and also on government holidays.
{{/usCountry}}He said the officers concerned had been especially asked to visit the mandis during the procurement and ensure smooth lifting. He said the field staff would work day and night to procure the stocks even on Saturdays and Sundays and also on government holidays.
{{/usCountry}}The minister has also asked the officers concerned to ensure that there would be no shortage of gunny bags for storing the grains, he added. The minister has asked Punjab Mandi Board officials to ensure arrangements in mandis to save the produce and to have proper sanitation facilities.