Hry govt sets up helpline for farmers ahead of procurement season

The Haryana government has set up a 24x7 toll free helpline for farmers during the upcoming Rabi procurement season.

The government has also taken steps to ensure that social distancing norms are followed by farmers.

"A dedicated 24x7 toll free helpline 1800-180-2060 has been set up in the head office of Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, Panchkula, which would be fully operational by April 13," an official statement said here on Thursday.

The procurement season will start from April 15.

A layout plan for every mandi and procurement centre has been circulated to all districts to ensure social distancing norms are followed.

Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora directed the Deputy Commissioners to keep a close watch on the entry and exit points of the procurement centres, whose number has increased from more than 400 to 2,000 to ensure there is no crowding.

"Entry passes to the staff, arthiyas (commission agents), labourers and farmers visiting these centres should be given in a systematic manner, so as to avoid crowding," Arora gave these directions while presiding over the meeting of the Crisis Coordination Committee held with the officers appointed for COVID-19, through video conferencing here.

She further said that adequate amount of sanitisers, masks and thermal scanners should be provided and social distancing norms should also be followed strictly at each procurement centre.

She directed that every Deputy Commissioner should visit each centre and keep a close vigil on the inter-district movement of the labourers.

The procurement usually begins on April 1 but the state government had announced that wheat will be procured from April 20 and mustard from April 15 due to the nationwide lockdown.