Punjab ministers seek guv’s intervention for speedy lifting of rice stock

The three cabinet ministers informed governor Gulab Chand Kataria that delays in the transportation of rice from shellers to other states were causing issues with lifting paddy from the grain markets. They also highlighted the problem of low rice yield from paddy and urged the governor to seek an immediate solution from the Union government.

Punjab cabinet ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Harjot Singh Bains and Hardeep Singh Mundian submitted a memorandum to governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Monday, requesting his intervention in expediting the lifting of rice from the state by the central government.

Punjab ministers seek guv’s intervention for speedy lifting of rice stock

The three cabinet ministers informed Kataria that delays in the transportation of rice from shellers to other states were causing issues with lifting paddy from the grain markets. They also highlighted the problem of low rice yield from paddy and urged the governor to seek an immediate solution from the Union government.

The delay in lifting of procured paddy triggered protests by farmers in various parts of the state, followed by a blame game between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

After meeting the governor, Cheema told reporters that BJP leaders’ claim about the cash credit limit (CCL) of ₹40,000 crore shows a lack of understanding of the ground reality, as the CCL limit is established every year during the paddy-wheat season. He said that the gap in the CCL limit sometimes ranges from ₹600 crore to ₹1,000 crore, a loss borne by the Punjab government, arhtiyas or transporters. “This year, the estimated loss is around ₹800 crore,” he added.

Cheema emphasised that despite chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s letters to the central government and meetings between Punjab’s food, civil supplies and consumer affairs minister Lal Chand Kataruchak and Union food and public distribution minister Prahlad Joshi, the Union government has not lifted rice from the state. He said that Mann had also met Union minister JP Nadda to address the shortage of DAP in the state, urging a swift resolution.

The minister accused the BJP-led Union government of punishing Punjab’s farmers, who opposed the three black laws. He reminded the central government that Punjab’s farmers contribute 40% of wheat and 22% of rice to the central pool. He also expressed hope that the governor would strongly advocate for the state’s case with the central government.