Punjab withdraws order declaring private silos as purchase centres

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed the cancellation of the order pertaining to declaring silos as sub yards. Punjab Mandi Board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat said the decision has been taken in view of farmers’ demands

Punjab government on Tuesday withdrew its order declaring private silos as wheat procurement centres.

KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pander said if their demands to roll back the decision on corporate silos and the release of the five farmers were not accepted by April 7, they will hold a ‘rail roko’ agitation on April 9. (HT file photo)

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed the cancellation of the order pertaining to declaring silos as sub yards. Punjab Mandi Board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat said the decision has been taken in view of farmers’ demands.

Barsat added that the silos will be used for storage purposes only. Responding to farmer unions’ claim that the silos will have made the grain markets redundant, Barsat clarified that no market committees will be dissolved.

The Punjab Mandi Board, in its order on March 15, had declared 11 silos in nine districts, being managed by private companies as purchase, sale and storage centres in view of the Rabi marketing season that started on April 1.

Barsat said every year new procurement centres are added for the convenience of farmers. Punjab has a total of 1,907 procurement centres, 47 of which have been added this year, he said.

Hours before the government’s withdrawal, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) had said they will hold demonstrations on Sunday against allowing private silos to be used as wheat procurement centres in Punjab. KMM leader Sarwan Singh Pandher accused the AAP government of trying to please private corporations.