Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma tells DCs to take stock of lifting arrangements

Chandigarh, April 21

Chief Secretary Anurag Verma today held an emergency meeting with all Deputy Commissioners to take stock of the ongoing wheat procurement arrangements in the state and the damaged crop due to unseasonal weather.

He ordered the DCs to ensure that the crops brought by farmers in the mandis were purchased immediately. The payment of the purchased crop should be ensured in their account within 48 hours. The DCs were told to hold meetings with agencies of their district daily to review the procurement taking place in every market.

In villages, where crops have been damaged due to unseasonal rain, the DC or SDM should pay a visit.

He further said this season, there was a possibility of the arrival of 132 lakh metric tonnes of wheat in the mandis. Out of this, 17.14 lakh metric tonnes of wheat had arrived. Of this, 13.23 lakh metric tonnes had been purchased by the procurement agencies.