ASHISHPURI Kapurthala,October 26: Punjab Food Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Thursday, while taking stock of paddy procurement here, said that a total 61 lakh metric tonne paddy brought to Mandis by farmers of which more than 60 LMT was procured so far.
The Minister also stated that the procurement was going at 1847 centres across Punjab while the Government had already made payments over Rs. 10,000 crore to nearly 2.75 lakh farmers. He said that in 17 districts 100 percent payments of MSP had been disbursed within the stipulated 48 hours time. The Minister said in single day on October 24 as many as 1.20 crore bags of paddy were lifted from the Mandis.
Speaking about the availably of requisite sacks of bags, labour and transportation for crop, the Minister said that all adequate arrangements had been put in place in the Mandis to facilitate all the stakeholders. The State Government under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is fully committed to procure every single grain of farmers within a given time as well as making payments, said Kataruchak adding that the payments were also being given to farmers well within time. He also urged the farmers to come forward for the in-situ management of stubble and crop residue to avert any sort of environmental pollution. He also spoke with the farmers, labourers and Arthiyas present on the occasion to know about the procurement.
Pertinently, in Kapurthala district more than 3.91 LMT paddy was brought to Mandis by the farmers of which over 3.78 LMT had been procured so far besides making payments to the tune of Rs. 704 crore in 24 hours of selling crops to farmers. Aam Aadmi Party leader Joginder Singh Mann, Dr Jatinder Parhar, Chairman Market Committee Tavinder Kumar, Chairperson District Planning Committee Lalit Saklani and others were also present.