CM assures arhtiyas of addressing payment issue

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today directed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to take up the issue of outstanding payments of commission agents or 'arhtiyas' with the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

At a meeting with a delegation of the Federation of Arhtiya Associations of Punjab led by its president Vijay Kalra, the Chief Minister assured them of his government's full support in addressing their concerns, an official release said.

The Chief Minister asked the food department to pursue the matter of their pending payments on account of loading and labour charges for the years 2015-16 and 2016-17 with FCI on urgent basis, after the delegation informed him that though they had been raising the matter with FCI for the past two years, it had not yet been resolved.

Taking stock of arrival of wheat in the mandis in the ongoing Rabi season, the Chief Minister asked the Arhtiyas to ensure fool-proof arrangements for smooth procurement and lifting.