Punjab food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday said that central teams will soon visit Punjab mandis to assess the impact of recent rains on paddy grains.
During his visit to the Kharar grain market, the minister expressed satisfaction over the ongoing procurement operations and lauded the efforts of farmers, agencies and officials ensuring smooth purchase despite challenging weather conditions.
“Punjab has so far recorded the arrival of 18 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy, of which 17 LMT has already been procured. Also, payments amounting to ₹3,215 crore have been released to farmers against the procured paddy. The state government already has a cash credit limit (CCL) of ₹27,000 crore for the ongoing Kharif marketing season,” the minister said.
“Despite the inclement weather causing damage to crops in some areas, Punjab will fulfil its target of contributing 172 LMT of paddy to the central pool. The farmers in Punjab are facing weather challenges with courage and resilience,” he added.
Reviewing the local procurement arrangements, district food and supplies controller Navreet apprised the minister that 75,996 MT of paddy has been procured in SAS Nagar district against the expected arrival of 2,01,199 MT. She said payments of ₹172.72 crore have already been credited to farmers’ accounts — 109% of the dues payable within the 48-hour norm.
{{/usCountry}}Reviewing the local procurement arrangements, district food and supplies controller Navreet apprised the minister that 75,996 MT of paddy has been procured in SAS Nagar district against the expected arrival of 2,01,199 MT. She said payments of ₹172.72 crore have already been credited to farmers’ accounts — 109% of the dues payable within the 48-hour norm.
{{/usCountry}}The minister also interacted with farmers, arhtiyas and labourers present at the mandi and assured the arhtiyas that their legitimate concerns would be duly considered.
Kataruchak was accompanied by deputy director (Ropar) Rajnish Kaur, DFSC SAS Nagar Navreet, market committee chairman Kharar Hakam Singh, secretary Gurnam Singh, and other officials.