Over Rs 737 cr paid to wheat farmers: Amritsar DC

Amritsar, May 2

Farmers have been disbursed Rs 737.81 crore against the wheat procured by different government agencies. This was stated by the Deputy Commissioner after a meeting with district administration officials regarding the procurement of wheat here on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said the government procurement agencies have, so far, procured a total of 4.40 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of wheat. He said Pungrain has procured a maximum of 124,152 MT wheat followed by Markfed 104,875 MT, Punsup 90,156 MT, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 62,962 Mt and Food Corproation of India (FCI) 19,862 MT.

The DC said the procurement agencies have been asked to ensure payment of the procured crop within 48 hours of the purchase. Similarly, officials have been asked to ensure lifting of the procured crop from the grain markets within 72 hours of purchase.

District Food and Civil Supplies Officer Sartaj Singh said nearly 73 per cent of the procured stocks have been lifted from the markets. He said in the next few days, they expect to lift 90 per cent of the stock. The farmers would not have to face any shortage of space at the grain markets as the transportation of stocks to godowns was going on at a fast pace.