33 lakh metric tonne paddy procured in Amritsar district

Amritsar, October 21

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Saturday inspected procurement and lifting of paddy in markets of the district and claimed that 97 per cent of the total arrival had been procured and Rs 5,500 crore disbursed among farmers.

While visiting grain markets of the district, Kataruchak said the procurement and lifting of paddy was going on smoothly in the state. Kataruchak visited the Rayya and Jandiala Guru grain markets today. He also interacted with officials as well as farmers, labourers and arhtiyas (commission agents).

Speaking on the occasion, Kataruchak said Punjab was due to farmers and all business runs in the hope of this harvesting season and it cannot be ignored. He said ensuring a smooth procurement process was a top priority of the state government and of the total arrival of 35 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, about 33 lakh metric tonnes had been procured and 12 lakh metric tonnes of paddy lifted from the markets.

The minister said about 1-1.5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was arriving on a daily basis in the grain markets of the state and by the end of the day almost all paddy got purchased.

Kataruchak claimed that paddy produce arrived in the markets was being procured on the same day. Most of the markets of the state were cleaning and purchasing the paddy on the same day of its arrival and payment was also being made within 24 hours of the arrival.

He said till now about Rs 5,500 crore had been transferred directly in the accounts of farmers. He assured that the state government was committed to buying every grain produced by the farmers. SDM Alka Kalia, Tehsildar Jagsir Singh, District Mandi Officer Amandeep Singh and other office bearers were present on the occasion.