The Punjab government on Monday said that 54.98 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy has been procured out of the total arrival of 59.79 LMT in the state so far.
Announcing this, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said the state government was sparing no effort to ensure a smooth and hassle-free paddy procurement season 2024-25. “An effective procurement, lifting and payment mechanism has been put in place in all mandis of the state to take care of the interests of all the stakeholders, including farmers, arhtiyas, millers, and labourers,” he said after taking stock of the procurement season in a video conference with all DFSCs, district managers and senior officers of the department.
He said grain lifting had also gathered pace with 23.30 LMT of paddy being lifted so far and a record 4.13 LMT lifted in a single day on October 27. Also, an amount of ₹7,640.55 crore had been credited into the accounts of farmers.
An official spokesperson said that the lifting of grains had crossed the mark of 4 LMT daily due to the efforts made by chief minister Bhagwant Mann. “To ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement and lifting, the CM has been vehemently raising the issue of expediting the process of lifting with the Government of India. He has himself been monitoring the lifting of grains as a result of which 4.13 LMT paddy was lifted on Sunday, October 27. This is in stark contrast to 1.39 LMT grains lifted on October 21, 2.31 LMT on October 22, 2.04 LMT on October 23, 2.62 LMT on October 24, 2.82 LMT on October 25 and 3.83 LMT on October 26,” he claimed.
{{/usCountry}}An official spokesperson said that the lifting of grains had crossed the mark of 4 LMT daily due to the efforts made by chief minister Bhagwant Mann. “To ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement and lifting, the CM has been vehemently raising the issue of expediting the process of lifting with the Government of India. He has himself been monitoring the lifting of grains as a result of which 4.13 LMT paddy was lifted on Sunday, October 27. This is in stark contrast to 1.39 LMT grains lifted on October 21, 2.31 LMT on October 22, 2.04 LMT on October 23, 2.62 LMT on October 24, 2.82 LMT on October 25 and 3.83 LMT on October 26,” he claimed.
{{/usCountry}}The government spokesperson said that the CM had impressed upon the Centre to ensure liquidation of at least 20 LMT food grains per month from the state till March 31, 2025, thereby making sure that 120 LMT of paddy was transported outside the state by March 2025.