Punjab Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Wednesday said more special trains should be run so that procured wheat can be lifted in time from the State and sent to other States.
The minister visited Talwandi Sabo to review the ongoing wheat procurement and said that the state government was committed to procure every grain of the priceless yield of farmers.
He said the FCI has planned 400 special trains for loading procured wheat from grain markets to other states for the months of April and May. The Punjab government has written to Chief Managing Director, FCI stating that keeping larger interests of farmers in mind, more special trains should be run so that procured wheat can be lifted in time.
Ashu said that till Tuesday evening, 2018 91 lacs MT wheat crop has reached the grain markets of state of which 89.36 lacs MT has been procured. Around 65 percent of the crop has already been lifted from the grain markets while work on lifting rest is going on at full swing. He added that around 130 lMT of wheat is expected to reach grain markets in the state.
The procured wheat is being stored at the godowns of state procurement agencies of as well as that Food Corporation of India (FCI). Besides this, arrangements have been to made to directly send procured wheat directly from grain markets other states so that there is not glut like situation in Punjab.
On a query, the Minister said that till April 24, Rs 9373.28 cr payments have been transferred to the accounts of commission agents across the state.