Paddy purchase in Punjab from today
The procurement of paddy in mandis across the state will begin on Tuesday. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has reportedly assured the commission agents (arhtiyas) to take up their case with the Government of India.
The has also reportedly assured the arhtiyas that in case the Centre does not accede to their demand for restoration of their commission at 2.5 per cent of the MSP for paddy, the state government will cover the balance amount. Since 2019 onwards, the Centre had capped the arhtiyas’ commission at Rs 46 per quintal.
Yesterday, the commission agents had threatened to lock the mandis from Tuesday, if their demands were not met.
A compromise has been reached even as representatives of various farmer unions affiliated to the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) came here to demand that the paddy procurement be started immediately.
These leaders wanted to meet the CM, but they instead met some of his officers. They refused to go back and continued to stay at the Punjab Bhawan till the paddy procurement did not start.
CM Mann, in a statement issued later, said he would take up their demands with the Centre and provide them with legal help. “The agents have also assured me that the paddy purchase will be done in a smooth manner. My government will take care of them,” he said. Vijay Kalra, president of the Federation of Arhtiya Associations of Punjab, said only the issue of labour rates needed to be resolved.
