Paddy Procurement in Punjab: Chief Secretary Anurag Verma’s Review Meeting
Meeting with Deputy Commissioners
On Thursday, Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma held a review meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners. This meeting was in line with the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to ensure smooth and hassle-free paddy procurement.
Arrangements for Paddy Procurement
Procurement agencies and officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department were instructed to complete all arrangements to start procurement from October 1. Chief Secretary Verma announced that a cash credit limit (CCL) of Rs 41,339.81 crore was released to Punjab for paddy purchase till the end of October 2024.
Commitment to Farmers
Verma emphasized the Punjab government’s commitment to purchasing each grain of paddy from farmers and ensuring immediate payment to their bank accounts. He urged farmers to bring paddy with up to 17% moisture to the market for immediate purchase.
Support from FCI
Verma mentioned his discussion with FCI CMD Vanita Sharma, who assured that there would be no issues for Punjab millers during the procurement season. Chief Minister Mann also raised the millers’ issues with the Union Minister of Food and Civil Supplies.
Procurement Details
Director of Food and Civil Supplies Puneet Goyal reported that 5 lakh bales are needed for the expected purchase of 185 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. So far, 4.74 lakh bales have been procured, and arrangements for 35 thousand more bales are underway.
Facilities in Mandis
Verma directed Deputy Commissioners to ensure necessary facilities for farmers in the mandis. He stressed the importance of regular visits by Deputy Commissioners and SDMs to monitor arrangements. Compliance with rules banning combine operations for paddy harvesting from 6 pm to 10 am was also emphasized.
Attendees
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies Vikas Garg, MD Punjab Warehouse Corporation Kanwalpreet Brar, Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Ramvir Singh, MD PUNSUP Sonali Giri, Director Food and Civil Supplies Puneet Goyal, and MD Markfed Girish Dayalan.
Doubts Revealed
Chief Secretary -: The Chief Secretary is the top government official in a state who helps in making important decisions and ensuring that everything runs smoothly.
Deputy Commissioners -: Deputy Commissioners are officials in charge of districts. They help manage local government activities and make sure rules are followed.
Paddy Procurement -: Paddy procurement means buying rice crops from farmers. The government buys these crops to help farmers and ensure there is enough food for everyone.
Cash Credit Limit -: A cash credit limit is the maximum amount of money the government can borrow from banks to buy paddy from farmers.
Rs 41,339.81 crore -: This is a very large amount of money, specifically 41,339.81 crore rupees, which the government will use to buy paddy from farmers.
Moisture -: Moisture in this context means the amount of water in the paddy. Farmers are asked to bring paddy with up to 17% water content.
Punjab Rice Millers Association -: This is a group of people who own and run rice mills in Punjab. They help turn paddy into rice that we can eat.
Mandis -: Mandis are markets where farmers sell their crops. The government makes sure these markets have all the necessary facilities for smooth buying and selling.
Harvesting rules -: These are guidelines that farmers need to follow when they cut and collect their crops to ensure good quality and safety.
