FCI to set up centres in Mand, Nalagarh

Dharamsala, April 18

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) will set up a new procurement centre in the Mand area of Kangra district to facilitate state farmers who are facing problems after the Punjab Government barred them from selling their wheat in its mandis this year. Another new procurement centre will be set up at Nalagarh in Solan.

General Manager, FCI, Rajesh Gulia said due to the changed scenario this year, the FCI had decided to set up procurement centres/mandis at Mand and Nalagarh. “Mandis for wheat procurement are opened in the state every year by the FCI, keeping in view the recommendations of the state Food Department.”

This year, wheat procurement centres across Himachal have been opened, and one each in Kangar and Takrala areas of Una are operational.

In Kangra, mandi was operational in Fatehpur but to date, no wheat had been procured there, said Gulia.

He said the FCI in Himachal was procuring wheat directly from farmers at the MSP of Rs 1,975 per quintal and the payment was being made electronically and directly intothe bank accounts of farmers within 48 hours of purchase, as per the specifications ofthe Centre. — TNS