Punjab Govt to monitor foodgrain procurement electronically

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, July 25

To stop the pilferage of foodgrains from the procured stock and the smuggling of those meant for public distribution system (PDS) in other states to Punjab, the Bhagwant Mann-led government is all set to electronically monitor the entire purchase process.

MOBILE APP DEVELOPED

• A vehicle tracking system mobile app has been developed by the state government
• It will be integrated with the Centre’s Vahan app as well as Punjab Mandi Board’s Anaj Kharid portal
• It will keep tab on the movement of foodgrains, allotment of mandis to farmers and transportation of procured grains to the designated storage facilities among other things
• Officials say the new integrated platform will also ensure that the release orders for paddy milling are capped, based on the milling capacity of each rice shelling unit

The technology-enabled system will be in place for the upcoming kharif marketing season that begins in October.

The new system of procurement along with the rice milling policy of the government is to be discussed among the Council of Ministers at a meeting scheduled to be held here on Thursday. The move to switch to this system of foodgrain procurement and transportation follows the repeated nagging of the Punjab Government by the Centre for alleged bungling in the entire process.

Information available with The Tribune shows that from 2017-18 onwards, the amount of paddy (non-basmati) procured by the state is more than what it has produced. This is because paddy from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, mostly meant for the PDS, is brought from these states at much lower prices and sold in mandis of Punjab at the (higher) minimum support price. Interestingly, though this technology-enabled system was developed by Punjab Mandi Board officers during the tenure of the previous government, which opposed to implementing it.

Officials say the vehicle tracking system, linked with the Vahan app, will ensure that only trucks registered in Punjab carrying foodgrains are traced right through their journey from the mandis to the foodgrain storage places. If any truck with the registration number of other state enter mandi to offload paddy, it will be tracked by the application as it is also linked to the Anaj Kharid portal.

Before the journey, the photograph of each vehicle with its registration number will have to be uploaded on the application. In case the vehicle diverts from the shortest-possible route shown on the Google maps, the application will alert the Command Centre at the Punjab Mandi Board office, and a thorough investigation of the amount of grain in the vehicle will follow.

Officials say the new integrated platform will also ensure that the release orders for paddy milling are capped, based on the milling capacity of each rice shelling unit. Mandis to farmers will also be allotted based on the proximity to their fields. The data of all state procurement agencies will also be integrated through this e-platform.