Cabinet Minister Mundian blames Centre for tardy procurement

Punjab’s Minister for Revenue and Rehabilitation, Disaster Management, Housing and Urban Development, and Water Supply and Sanitation, Hardeep Singh Mundian, today blamed the Union Government for disrupting smooth and hassle-free paddy procurement operations.

Mundian shared the AAP government, under Chief Minister Mann’s leadership, was committed to resolving the issues faced by farmers, millers and commission agents, ensuring they do not experience any inconvenience. He stated that the lifting operations had started here and this would be further expedited in the coming days.

Mundian lashed out at the Union Government for ignoring state’s requests despite Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s meetings with Union Ministers and written requests to address the problems of storage. He said this clearly indicated the step motherly treatment being meted to Punjab and the Punjabi farmers who have to suffer for the wrong and ill planned execution at the Centre-level. “The failure of the Union Government in making space for the fresh arrival has not only led to tardy lifting but also created a flood like situation in the mandis,” Mundian added.

After flagging off trucks to transport paddy from the Sahnewal grain market, Mundian accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of implementing wrong policies that have led to these issues.

Mundian also reviewed the on-going paddy procurement in a meeting with officials from various agencies, including the Mandi Board and the Food and Civil Supplies department. He assured that elaborate arrangements have been made to lift every single grain of paddy.