45 LMT wheat procured in Punjab, Rs 7,300 crore transferred to two lakh growers
Punjab has procured about 45 lakh metric tonnes of wheat in the state mandis, said Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak. The minister was at Banga Mandi in SBS Nagar district today to take stock of the procurement operations.
He said Rs 7,300 crore had been transferred to the accounts of two lakh farmers so far without imposing any value cut. “Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has given strict orders to the state procurement agencies that full amount be paid to farmers without causing any loss to them,” said the Minister, adding that the cut would be an injustice and add to the woes of farmers who were already reeling under the wrath of heavy rains.
He said the Government of India shouldn’t have imposed a value cut.
Interacting with a farmer, Makhan Singh, who was here to sell his produce, the minister asked him about any difficulties the farmers had been facing in the mandis. The minister claimed that the farmers appreciated the government’s uninterrupted procurement arrangements. He also enquired about the arrangements done by the market committees in the mandis from the labourers working there and said they expressed satisfaction over the arrangements, except for the demand of some more toilet sets. The minister directed the Mandi Board officials to arrange more sets by the next procurement season.
Responding to a media query about the verification of Blue Cards (Atta Dal Scheme), the minister said the process was going on without any interference and the government would ensure that legitimate beneficiaries would get benefits.
