Decentralise e-token system in Punjab, demand farmers, arhtiyas

Tribune News Service

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Muktsar, April 17

Farmers and arhtiyas here are facing hardships in getting e-tokens, which have been made mandatory for bringing the produce to grain markets so as to regulate the flow of people in mandis in view of the Covid-19 lockdown.

They demand that the process of issuing e-tokens should be decentralised. At present, e-tokens are issued from the head office in Chandigarh.

Tajinder Bansal, president, Kacha Arhtiya Association, said: “We have raised the matter with the district administration, but it remains unresolved. Some arhtiyas are getting three coupons a day and some are getting just one.”

Another arhtiya Bunty Goyal said, “Some of us have got e-tokens of mandis where they don’t operate. For instance, an arhtiya got the pass for the Bhullar village purchase centre, whereas his area of work is at the Badhai purchase centre.”

The police, meanwhile, have booked a farmer of Lundewala village for bringing his produce to Bhundar village purchase centre without obtaining the e-token for the day he brought the produce to the grain market. The combine harvester owner and the commission agent, too, have been booked.

Pritpal Singh Gill, secretary, market committee, Gidderbaha, said: “A farmer of Lundewala village brought the crop a day in advance. Also, the moisture content in his produce was higher than the permissible limit. We can’t allow wet wheat in the purchase centres at such a juncture.”

He claimed the system of issuing e-tokens by the Punjab Mandi Board was good.

2.85 lakh passes issued

Chandigarh: The Punjab Mandi Board has issued 2.85 lakh passes to farmers through arhtiyas to ensure hassle-free wheat procurement. Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Viswajeet Khanna said enough mandis had been set up to avoid crowding. He put the number at 3,691. “There is no condition to get the passes through any mobile app. Farmers should approach arthiyas for passes to take their crops to mandis,” he said. TNS