Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that farmers should face no difficulty in wheat procurement. He directed for early completion of arrangements to set up procurement centres, storage, transportation, weighing of food grains at Mandis and verification of farmers for procuring wheat from them.
Chouhan reviewed preparations for wheat procurement 2015-16 at Mantralaya here on Thursday. The meeting was informed that procurement will be made from March 18 to May 19 in Bhopal, Ujjain, Indore and Narmadapuram divisions and from March 25 to May 26 in Chambal, Gwalior, Rewa, Shahdol, Jabalpur and Sagar divisions. About 100 lakh MT wheat is expected to be procured on support price of Rs1450 per quintal. For this, Central Government will be urged to make available adequate funds. The Chief Minister said that he would hold discussions with Union Minister for Food and Union Finance Minister in this regard. The Chief Minister directed to set up wheat procurement centres at Mandis and Upmandis and arrange electronic weighing system there.
The meeting was informed that 2.58 crore gunny bags are available, which are adequate to procure 60 lakh MT wheat. Besides, additional gunny bags have also been arranged. It was also informed that State’s storage capacity is 111 lakh MT, which suffices estimated figure of procurement. In the Rabi season 2015-16, wheat was sown in 58.13 lakh hectares and production is expected to be 185 lakh MT. This year, 1.90 lakh new farmers have got registered taking total number of registered farmers to 18.77 lakh. Of these, 17.92 lakh farmers have been verified. This year, procurement will be made at 2,974 centres.
While discussing storage of paddy at the meeting, directives were given to conduct a campaign to dissuade farmers from growing Mahamaya variety of paddy. He said that this paddy is not good for milling due its low quality and is not sold. He said that Mahamaya Paddy will not be procured. He directed to sell paddy procured last year with total transparency.
Food Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah, Chief Secretary Anthony DeSa, Additional Chief Secretary Finance Ajay Nath and senior officers of Food Department, Civil Supplies Corporation, MARKFED and Warehousing Corporation also attended the meeting.