Punjab CM directs state functionaries to speed up wheat procurement process

Having received sharp criticism from various quarters over slow lifting of wheat resulting in slow procurement, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday said the state government was committed to lift every single grain of the farmers from the market during the ongoing procurement season. He also directed the officers of the state government to make all efforts for ensuring smooth, timely and hassle-free lifting of grain.

According to the state agricultural marketing board data, of the total arrival of 4.97 million tonnes of wheat in different mandis of the state till Sunday, only 3.83 million tonnes had been procured. Further, of the total wheat procured, 3.30 million tonnes is yet to be lifted. The lifting of wheat is must to create space for new arrival. With the pace of lifting of gunny bags loaded with wheat being slow, farmers are finding it difficult to land their produce for procurement at different mandis of the state.

In some parts of the state, farmers have been staging protest against the state government over slow lifting of wheat. They blocked the Amritsar-Delhi railway line at Jandiala Guru in Amritsar. Former chief minister Amarinder Singh called upon Badal to go in for mid-term polls in view of deteriorating situation in the state. He said the government had failed to resolve the issues concerning procurement.

Presiding over a high- level meeting to review the ongoing procurement in the state, the Chief Minister, in Chandigarh, had detailed interactions with officers on issues pertaining moisture content, damage and payment of the wheat crop. He asked officers of the state government, particularly the managing directors of the state procurement agencies, to visit the grain markets for ensuring that farmers do not face any sort of problem while selling their harvest.

The Chief Minister also said that besides procurement of the grains emphasis must also be laid on the proper transportation and storage of the grains

"This will facilitate the farmers in selling their harvest without any sort of undue harassment" added Badal. It was apprised in the meeting that in order to ensure smooth, prompt and hassle free procurement of wheat the state Food and Civil Supplies Department had already issued the Wheat Procurement Policy for this current marketing season.

It is pertinent to mention here that the farmers were of the view that the wheat procurement in the state would gain momentum after centre announced(on April 22) to relax the quality norms for procurement of wheat and the state government decision to bear the value cut imposed by centre on broken, shriveled and lusterless grain, but their expectation were short lived as they are facing crisis.