Centre to lift 120 LMT grain to make space for fresh arrival, says Garg

What is anticipated as a much-needed respite for the farmers who are reeling in the mandis across the state due to tardy procurement processes, the Principal Secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Vikas Garg, has confirmed the Central Government has assured him that the problem of space would be resolved, adding the Centre has agreed to lift 120 lakh MT of grain.

Centre's assurrance

The Government of India has assured us the issue of space will be resolved and that 120L MT of grain will be lifted. If the crop needs to be stored outdoors due to a lack of space, the transportation costs will also be covered by the Centre. — Vikas Garg, Principal Secretary of the Food and Civil Supplies Department

Garg said the Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann, had raised the problem of storage of paddy with the Central Government and pressed for increased storage capacity during a recent meeting with the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Prahlad Joshi. He added the Central Government has agreed to offer assistance.

He said, “The Government of India has assured us the issue of space will be resolved and that 120 lakh MT of grain will be lifted. If the crop needs to be stored outdoors due to a lack of space, the transportation costs will also be covered by the Centre.”

He added the demands raised by mill owners to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann have been addressed and all the problems have also been brought to the attention of the Central Government.

He said this year, the crop has arrived in the markets later than in previous years, which has delayed the procurement process. He said only a few thousand MT of paddy have arrived in six districts of the state so far. He said the concern about mills not being able to process the grain due to a lack of space has also been resolved.

Garg reviewed the ongoing paddy procurement at the Rajpura Grain Market today. He was accompanied by Secretary of Market Board, Rambir Singh, Patiala Range DIG Mandeep Singh Sidhu, the Deputy Commissioner, Dr Preeti Yadav, and SSP, Dr Nanak Singh.

Vikas Garg directed district officials to ensure that farmers bringing their produce to the markets face no difficulties.