No farmer will suffer due to late lifting of wheat: Punjab food minister

Chandigarh, April 24

Facing criticism over “slow” lifting of wheat from mandis, Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Tuesday said the department will ensure timely procurement of each and every grain of the crop.

He assured that no farmer would suffer due to late procurement and lifting of wheat crop.

Newly-appointed minister Ashu held a review meeting with the officers of his department here today.

While addressing the officers, Ashu, an MLA from Ludhiana West, said that it is Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s commitment with the farmers to ensure timely procurement and lifting of wheat crop.

He urged the officers to ensure that no farmer suffers due to any delay in procurement and lifting.

The minister directed them that they should perform their duty with utmost devotion and honesty so that smooth procurement and lifting of wheat crop can take place in Punjab.

He said Punjab being an agrarian state, the farmers are the backbone of state’s economy and the department should ensure that they should not suffer in the mandis.

Yesterday, opposition party the Shiromani Akali Dal lashed out at the state government for “turning a blind eye to the suffering” of farmers, claiming that the entire procurement process had become “paralysed due to mismanagement” and demanded immediate lifting of wheat from markets. — PTI