Wheat procurement: Confusion over tokens mars Day 1 in Punjab

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

The first day of procurement was marred by confusion over the release of e-tokens, with many mandi yards, especially in rural areas, still unprepared to receive the grain.

Procurement began in just 7-8 per cent of the 3,700 odd mandis today.

Though the state government termed it “teething troubles”, farmers and commission agents remained panicky as they tried to adapt to the first-ever technology driven procurement process.

At many places, the commission agents complained that e-tokens were released for a wrong date. These are necessary to allow the farmers to get their produce from their villages to the mandis and are issued after the commission agent feeds the phone number of the farmer in the “e-PMB” app of the Punjab Mandi Board.

Procurement has only begun in the Malwa region, while harvesting in the Doaba and Majha region is expected to start next week, following which the market arrivals will begin.

As many as 8,213 tonnes of wheat arrived in 252 mandis today, of which 3,645.5 tonnes was sold. Though a sizeable section of commission agents, led by Ravinder Cheema, gave a call for the boycott of the procurement proces s over e-reporting of MSP paid to farmers on the PMS portal and non-release of their dues of Rs 200 crore, the state government responded sharply, threatening to cancel the licence of agents, who tried to halt the procurement operations. Cheema said they were only exercising their “democratic right to protest”.

In Khanna, the largest grain market of Asia, about 500 quintals of wheat was procured till evening, Harbans Singh Rosha, president, Arhtiya Association, Khanna, told The Tribune: “There have been initial glitches in getting e-tokens. But once the system stabilises, the problem will be resolved. These are difficult times, but I am sure that the procurement will be smooth,” he added.

In Makhu, Vijay Kalra, who is the vice-chairman of the Punjab Mandi Board, admitted problems in getting e-tokens and gunny bags, but said these would stabilise soon. In Sadak Mandi near Faridkot, where 300 odd bags of wheat were procured till late afternoon, Pankaj Aggarwal, a commission agent, complained that there was still too much confusion among farmers on how to get the e-tokens.

Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of the Bhartriya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), said farmers in Mansa, Bathinda, Barnala, Patiala and Faridkot faced a lot of problems in getting the e-tokens.”

Vishwajit Khanna, Additional Chief Secretary, Development, saidthe problems were just initial hiccups. “Today, we issued 6,500 e-tokens. As many as 18,000 e-tokens will be issued tomorrow and 35,000 on Friday. I can assure you that each and every grain will be procured,” he said.

Arhtiyas stay away

With arhtiyas going on strike, farmers are facing the heat. Saudagar Singh Ghudani, BKU (Ekta) said, “As the arhtiyas have gone on strike, farmers will not be able to bring or sell their produce in mandis.”

Will cancel their licences: Mandi Board

Mohali: Ravi Bhagat, Secretary, Mandi Board, said a section of arhtiyas had threatened to boycott the procurement operations, which would not be tolerated. He issued directions to all secretaries of the market committees to initiate strict action immediately against such persons. He pointed out that the board had already issued necessary directions to cancel the licences of erring arhtiyas and warned them of further action. TNS