Punjab Government will request the Centre to relax wheat procurement conditions in the state. The assurance was given by the State Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal to the farmers who have been hit by a spell of unseasonal rains in the State.
Sukhbir, addressing election rallies in villages of Dhuri constituency amidst rain in favour of SAD candidate Gobind Singh longowal, said that unseasonal rain had not only damaged standing wheat crop at a large number of places, but was also likely to increase moisture content in grains once the crop started arriving in Mandis next week. “The Government would appeal to the Centre to prevail upon the FCI to relax its stringent norms whereby grain with moisture content of above 14 per cent is considered unfit for procurement,” he said.
He said that simultaneously, drying facilities would be set up at market yards to facilitate the farmers. “Punjab would also request the Centre for a special financial package to compensate farmers for the losses suffered by them,” he said.