Chairing an important meeting right after being discharged from the hospital today, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said the state government expected to procure 185 lakh metric tonne (LMT) paddy during the procurement season commencing on October 1.
The Chief Minister is also learnt to have cleared important files concerning various financial issues. Also present in the meeting to review the procurement of paddy were Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Lal Chand Kataruchak, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister VK Singh, Chief Secretary Anurag verma and Principal Secretary (Food and Supplies) Vikas Garg.
Around 32 lakh hectares are under paddy cultivation in the state this season. The Reserve Bank of India has allowed a cash credit limit of Rs 41,378 crore for the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25.
The deputy commissioners have been asked to visit 7-8 mandis daily for ensuring smooth procurement of paddy. They have been asked to submit daily reports for regular monitoring. The Centre has fixed a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,320 per quintal for grade “A” paddy this season.
Chief Secretary Anurag Verma recently asked the Centre to immediately make available space for paddy storage. He also hinted at the possibility of a law and order problem erupting in the state in case farmers faced problems in the procurement of their produce.
In his communication, Verma had said generally the FCI received milled rice by March 31. The delivery period was extended up to September 30, 2024. That led to millers showing reluctance in lifting and storing paddy that would reach mandis during the kharif marketing season 2024-25.
The government also underlined the immediate need for shifting at least 20 LMT rice/wheat out of Punjab from covered storage. From September 1 to 22, 2024, only 6 LMT rice/wheat was shifted out of the state from the covered storage.
Reacting to the government stand, president of the Punjab Rice Industry Association Bharat Bhushan Binta said the state government has said that the Centre will arrange space for 30 LMT rice in Punjab by December 1, but, according to the schedule of rice movement for October released by the FCA today, only 196 special trains will be sent to other states from Punjab. These can transport approximately 4.5 LMT rice. This clearly shows that there is a difference between what the Centre says and what it does.
It is worth mentioning that the delivery of rice in 2023-24 started after January 15. At that time, space for accommodating over 50 LMT rice was available in the godowns in the state. But due to lack of space, millers took 12 months to complete the milling for 2023-24, which caused millers to suffer losses worth crores. This time, the millers are badly scared.
An important meeting of the Punjab Rice Industry Association and the Punjab Rice Millers Association is scheduled to be held at Patiala on October 2.
DCs told to visit mandis daily
- The deputy commissioners have been asked to visit at least 7-8 mandis daily for ensuring smooth procurement of paddy
- They have been asked to submit daily reports for regular monitoring
- The CM is also learnt to have cleared important files concerning various financial issues
- Around 32 lakh hectares are under paddy cultivation in the state this season
