Wheat procurement in Punjab gathers steam

Govt agencies procured 0.36 mn tonnes till date, whereas pvt traders procured 4,070 tonnes of wheat

Wheat procurement in Punjab picked up momentum as government agencies and private millers procured more than 0.36 million tonnes of wheat till last evening.

Of the total procurement of 0.36 million tonnes of wheat across all the procurement centers of Punjab, government agencies procured 0.36 million tonnes till date, whereas private traders procured 4,070 tonnes of wheat.

A spokesman of the Punjab government today said strict instructions have been issued for payments to be made to farmers within 48 hours of lifting of the wheat from mandis. The state government has constituted Dispute Redressal Committees in every mandi/purchase center. Besides, the food and civil supplies department has established 24-hour control rooms at its headquarters in Chandigarh as well as in district offices, where farmers can contact in cases of emergency. The Punjab Mandi Board has also made arrangements for water and shade for the farmers, the spokesman added.

He said the state government has made all arrangements to ensure lifting of the wheat within 72 hours of purchase.