Chandigarh, April 19: Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has reported that over 85 percent of the wheat currently in Punjab’s markets has already been procured. Speaking in Tanda, the Minister stated that out of the 28 LMT that has reached the mandis, 24 LMT has been bought by state agencies at the fixed Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,585 per quintal.
The Minister affirmed that the government’s priority is to maintain a seamless transition from arrival to payment. The state government is fully committed to procure every single grain produced by the farmers, Kataruchak asserted. He stated that the expedited payment system has already disbursed over Rs 647 crore to farmers across the state. While directing officials to remain vigilant, he noted that the infrastructure for labor and transportation is fully prepared to handle the peak arrival period.
During the inspection, the Minister also appealed to the agricultural community to manage crop residue responsibly. He urged farmers to utilize machinery provided by the Agriculture Department instead of burning wheat stubble in the fields. Additionally, he noted that the state has ordered a “girdawari” to evaluate losses from recent rainfall, maintaining that the government would stand by the farmers to cover their financial setbacks.
The state government led by the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has always catered to the interests of farmers and is ensuring timely payments, MLA Jasvir Singh Raja Gill declared. He stated that the prompt lifting of crops is being monitored closely to ensure that the markets do not become overcrowded. Authorities in Hoshiarpur confirmed that 65 permanent and 13 temporary mandis are facilitating the current harvest season to assist local growers.
