Shortage of migrant labour hits procurement in Panipat

Panipat, April 16

Acute shortage of migrant labour and the slow pace of lifting has hit wheat procurement in the district’s grain markets. On an average, 30 per cent less migrant labourers arrived in mandis this year as compared to last year.

However, 70 per cent wheat crop has arrived in grain markets here, but merely a 13 per cent procured wheat was lifted by the agencies till Saturday evening.

As per the record, wheat was sown in around two lakh hectare area here.

Licence of trader suspended

• DC Virender Dahiya on Sunday visited Babarpur, Bapoli and Sanoli to take note of procurement and lifting of wheat from the grain markets
• Dahiya ordered suspension of the licence of a trading company after a tractor-trailer of UP number was found laden with wheat at his shop
• Dahiya also suspended a peon of the Market Committee at Bapoli grain market

Labourers from Bihar, Jharkhand and adjoining UP who came here in hundreds during the harvesting season every year, were short in number this year.

As per the record, government procurement agencies like the Food and Supply lifted one per cent procured wheat till Saturday evening, HAFED lifted 6 per cent, FCI 3.9 per cent and Haryana Warehouse Corporation 23 per cent.

Baljeet Singh, president, Samalkha grain market, said there is no space for the farmers to unload the fresh produce as approximately 9 lakh bags are lying openly in the markets, he said. The Food and Supply agency purchased around 5 lakh bags, but only 15,000 bags were lifted till Sunday evening, the president alleged.

Dharambir Malik, president, District Arhtiyas Association, said there is poor cleaning system, slow lifting of garbage and several non-functional lights in grain markets.

Aaditya Kaushik, District Food and Supplies Controller, said he joined here on April 11 and the tenders for lifting were finalised on April 15. The main reason behind slow lifting of procured wheat bags was delay in tender for lifting. It is set to be streamlined within two-three days, the DFSC maintained.

Arhtiyas paying more to local labour

The government gave Rs 14 per bag to a labour for filling, stitching and loading/unloading of wheat bags, but due to labour shortage, the arhtiyas were forced to give Rs 21 per bag to the available labour, he added.