Patiala: Punjab minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs, forests and wildlife protection, Lal Chand Kataruchak, on Monday visited the Nabha grain market and reviewed the wheat procurement.The minister directed officials to ensure no inconvenience was caused to the farmers in the mandi, in line with the strict directions of chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.He said the Punjab govt had set a target of procuring 122 lakh metric tonnes of wheat this year and made all necessary arrangements to achieve it. Despite various challenges, the govt maintained a smooth and efficient procurement process, Kataruchak added.He said around 39 LMT of wheat arrived in mandis across Punjab so far, of which 34 LMT was procured. Farmers are not facing hurdles in the mandis. Procurement is being carried out smoothly and promptly, ensuring farmers receive full value for their produce along with timely payments, said the minister.Kataruchak emphasised, “Every single grain lifted from mandis will ensure immediate payment into farmers’ accounts.”He said under previous govts, farmers often waited for weeks to receive payments for their crops, and delays in procurement at times led to protests and strikes in mandis. The AAP-led Punjab govt resolved these issues and ensured a seamless and efficient procurement system, the minister added.He further said the minimum support price for wheat was fixed at Rs 2,585 per quintal this year. He also said Rs 1,818 crore was already credited to farmers’ bank accounts under the procurement process.The minister said the Punjab govt set an excellent record this year in facilitating procurement for farmers, and the entire process was carried out in a transparent and cooperative manner.He said significant improvements were made in procurement and payment systems, providing substantial benefits to farmers.Kataruchak said the govt’s primary objective was to ensure prompt payment to farmers and accelerate the procurement process with full support. Our govt is committed to completing procurement without hindrance while ensuring timely payments to farmers, he said.MSID:: 130394122 413
