Despite opposition, no paddy purchase in Punjab from tomorrow

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 10

Even as farmers in Punjab have decided to take to the streets against the state government decision to wind up the paddy procurement, the latter has decided to wind up procurement operations across the state on Friday.

• Also read: Will take to streets if decision not revoked: Farmers to govt

Govt committed to buying every grain

The govt is committed to buying each and every grain brought to the mandis and it’s just awaiting the Centre’s response on increasing the purchase target from 170 LMT to 190 LMT. Gurkirat Kirpal, Food & Supplies Secretary

While mandis in 14 districts have already wound up the operations, the paddy procurement also came to a halt in Sangrur, Muktsar, Patiala and Malerkotla, besides parts of Ludhiana, Barnala and Mansa on Wednesday evening. This in spite of the fact that the paddy arrival in mandis is still in lakh metric tonne (LMT), with 6.48 LMT arriving on Tuesday, of which 6.44 LMT was purchased. On Wednesday too, 5.05 LMT of paddy arrived in the mandis and 5.33 LMT was purchased.

Official sources in the Food and Supplies Department told The Tribune that the mandis in Bathinda and Mansa districts, besides a few allowed to operate in Ludhiana, Barnala and Mansa on Wednesday will also wind up the procurement by Thursday evening. Till Tuesday evening, 179.94 LMT of paddy had arrived in the mandis, of which 175.48 LMT was purchased by the government procurement agencies.

Meanwhile, of 185.22 LMT arrivals, 181.09 LMT of paddy was purchased till late Wednesday evening.

Notably, the target given by the Centre for paddy purchase in the ongoing kharif marketing season is for 170 LMT. However, the Agriculture Department has given an estimate of 197 LMT of paddy production, of which 190 LMT will be the marketable surplus. But considering the alleged large-scale bogus billing in previous years, when the paddy purchase by agencies was more than the production, the Centre had fixed a target of 170 LMT this year, which they are unwilling to enhance. “Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Tuesday shot off a demi-official letter to the Centre, urging to increase the target. We are waiting for the Centre’s response,” said a senior officer in the food department.

But in the wake of the earlier target given by the Centre, high arrivals continuing and the apprehensions of bogus billing, the state has decided to wind up the operations.

This has led to a sharp opposition from the farmers, with the SKM asking them to come out on the streets. “We have given a clarion call to all farmers to come out on the streets and protest against the decision. Everyone knows that the bad weather conditions delayed the paddy harvesting and 15-20% crop is still due to arrive in the mandis. Closing down mandis now is trying to punish the farmers and will be met with strong resistance,” said Balbir Rajewal, senior SKM leader.

Strict vigil to check bogus billing

To check bogus billing, the govt has asked all District Food Officers to keep a strict vigil on farmers coming to mandis with their produce, by allowing them entry after clicking their pictures holding a copy of the day’s newspaper.

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