In a major reprieve to the State’s farmers, the Punjab Government would make payments of their harvest electronically from Tuesday as per new conditions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Besides, the Government has also announced that Rs4,000 crores would be disbursed to them in 24 hours.
A Spokesperson said that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal have been personally monitoring the progress of entire procurement operations by convening series of meetings with the officers of the State Government and the procuring agencies.
Badal, in a statement, said that the State Government has made financial arrangements for Cash Credit limit and Rs14,640 crores has already been received. “This amount is being electronically disbursed to the accounts of the commission agents for making further payments to the farmers for their produce. An amount of Rs4,000 crores would be credited to the farmers in 24 hours,” he said.
Reiterating that the State Government would lift every grain from the market, Badal said that all dues of the farmers would be cleared within two-three days.
“Total wheat arrival is expected to be 110 to 125 lakh MTs whereas the State Government has already procured more than 50 lakh MT of wheat. 100 per cent arrangement for gunny bags is already there,” he said.
Badal said that the State Government has requested the Central Government that procurement of wheat should be allowed without any value cut, because inclement weather and untimely rains are not in the hands of the farmers.
“However, in the meantime, State Government has taken upon itself the responsibility to compensate the farmers in view of value cuts imposed by the Centre,” he said.
He added that 11 secretary level officers and also the Managing Directors of the procuring agencies have been deputed in the districts to oversee the wheat procurement operations.
“State Government has also requested that storage gain cut for Rabi Market Season 2015-16 wheat be exempted because already soaked wheat will not gain any subsequent moisture during monsoons,” he said.
Sukhbir said that the State Government took up the matter with the Centre and requested it for relaxation of specifications so as to mitigate the hardship of the State farmers.
“Based on the State Government’s request, the Centre, vide its letter dated April 22, 2015, relaxed the specifications of wheat to be procured in the state of Punjab, according to which the wheat in Punjab is to be procured by the State agencies by imposing a value cut of Rs10.88 per quintal,” he said.
However, keeping in view the welfare of the farmers, the state government has decided to bear the above said value cut and the farmers will get the full MSP for the wheat sold by them, he added. “We are committed to mitigate the woes of farmers at every cost,” added Sukhbir.