Setting in motion the paddy procurement process for kharif marketing season-2015 in Punjab, the RBI on Thursday sanctioned a cash credit limit of Rs18,972 crore.
“The procurement has been started in Punjab from today in the entire State,” said a Government spokesperson.
For the current kharif season, Punjab was eying to procure 137 lakh metric tonnes of paddy as against 118 lakh MT procured last year. As many as 1,820 centres have been set up across the State for paddy procurement. Reviewing the arrangements, Food and Supplies Minister Adaish Pratap Singh Kairon said that all out efforts have been made to ensure smooth, and quick paddy procurement and facilitate the farmers in getting timely payment of their produce.
Kairon categorically said that farmers of the State would not be put to any inconvenience for the sale of their produce in the mandis. He firmly said that good quality gunny bags with accurate weight would be ensured while packing the produce. The officers concerned have been especially asked to visit the mandis during the procurement and ensure smooth lifting, he said. Punjab Mandi Board officials have also been asked to ensure adequate arrangements in the mandis to save produce and to have proper sanitation facilities for the people.
All district food and supply controllers and district mandi officers have been issued instructions to make requisite arrangement of power, sheds for the farmers, portable water supply and equipment to monitor the quality of paddy in each procurement centre.