Punjab minister Lal Chand Kataruchak takes stock of paddy procurement

Ashok Kaura

Phagwara, October 23

Expressing satisfaction over the ongoing paddy procurement across the state, Punjab Food & Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak today said a total of 45 lakh metric tonne paddy had arrived in mandis, of which 43.50 lakh MT had been procured.

While taking stock of paddy procurement at the local grain market, the Minister asserted that the Punjab Government was fully committed to procuring every single grain of the farmers’ produce. Payment worth Rs 6,100 crore had already been disbursed to farmers, the Minister said, adding that the lifting was also going on expeditiously as more than 20 lakh MT had been lifted so far.

The Minister also interacted with farmers and labourers to get info about the arrangement and facilities in the mandi. He assured that elaborate arrangements had been put in place by the government well in advance so that no stakeholder faced any problem at the time of procurement.

The Minister said the Bhagwant Mann-led government had set-up 1,845 procurement centres where procurement was going on seamlessly.

Kataruchak said he was personally monitoring process as he had already visited 17 districts to inspect the paddy procurement. He also urged the farmers to bring only dry paddy in the mandis so that their produce should be procured within minimal time.

In an appeal to the farmers, Lal Chand Kataruchak said farm fires should be contained in larger public interest.

The Minister advocated the mechanised management of stubble in the field itself, which was call of the day. He also took stock of procurement in district mandis.

SDM Lal Biswas Bains, AAP leader Manju Rana, Improvement Trust chairman Gurpal Singh Indian and officials concerned were also present on the occasion.