Amidst coronavirus scare, Punjab is all set for procurement of nearly 137 metric tonnes of wheat through 3,691 purchase centres across the State, besides ensuring strict implementation of health protocol and social distancing.
The State Government, on the directives of the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, has made elaborate preparations to ensure smooth and hassle free procurement of wheat during Rabi Marketing Season-2020-21 amid trying circumstances due to Covid-19.
Taking stock of arrangements to ensure that every single grain of farmers produce would be procured at all costs, the Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Viswajeet Khanna said that all requisite arrangements are in place by the Mandi Board well in advance for the procurement which will begin from April 15 and continue till May 31 and if need be, till June 15.
Divulging the preparedness plan for wheat procurement during the current RMS, Khanna said that the Cash Credit Limit of Rs 22,900 crore has already been approved by the Centre to ensure prompt and seamless procurement operations in the State.
He said that foolproof arrangements have been made in wake of coronavirus to ensure wheat procurement in all 22 districts by creating a vast infrastructure of 3691 purchase centres including 153 main yards, 280 sub-yards, 1434 purchase centres besides adding 1824 yards of rice mills, especially during this season.
He also mentioned that nearly 137 lakh MT of wheat is expected to arrive in the mandis, of which 135 lakh MT would be purchased by Government agencies while two lakh MT is likely to be bought by private traders. The Centre has fixed the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat at Rs 1,925 per quintal for the current RMS against Rs 1840 MSP fixed last year, he said.
Nearly 182 lakh MT of total produce is expected and 17,500 combine harvesters would be operating for harvesting the wheat crop in the State.
Against the total requirement of 4.82 lakh gunny bales, 3.05 lakh have already been made available. Likewise, the arrangements for 47,000 tarpaulins against total demand of 52,570 and 29,261 mesh nets against 32,805 have already been made. Similarly, required wooden crates for storing the bagged wheat are also being arranged in time.
Khanna said that amendment of Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMC) Act has been notified to make payment electronically to farmers through arhtiyas (commission agents) within 48-hour after the lifting of produce.
To avoid crowding, maintain safe social distance norms and ensure smooth
procurement, Khanna said that a detailed action plan has been chalked out to undertake procurement by staggering arrival of produce in mandis by issuing coupons fixed with holograms to the farmers through arhtiyas. With each coupon, a farmer will be entitled to bring one trolley of about 50 to 70 quintals of wheat.
A farmer shall be entitled to take multiple coupons each day or in different days depending on space in the purchase centre in order to avoid rush in mandis. About 27 lakh such coupons would be issued by market committees to arhtiyas.
Emphasizing the need to strictly observe necessary safety and sanitary protocols to curb the spread of coronavirus, observance of social distancing norms, wearing of masks and use of sanitizers will be ensured.
Mandi yards are being marked with 30×30 feet lines to accommodate a heap of about 50 quintals and maintain sufficient distance from the adjoining one.
District level Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been issued to the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to ensure strict compliance of these protocols. Harvesting operations by combines have been allowed between 6 am to 7 pm, added Khanna.
Provision for clean drinking water, fumigation, cleaning and disinfection of mandis and mandi yards is being ensured.
Over one lakh masks and 25,000 litres of sanitizer have been received for use in each of these purchase centres.
“Under the District Level SOP, the DCs would be overall in-charge of procurement operations to oversee activities including issuing and distribution of coupons from April 12 (Sunday) onwards, availability of mandi labour in all 3691 centres,” he said.
Apart from these, the DCs have also been mandated to review storage point labour for unloading, mandi wise transport arrangements, maintaining cleanliness and sanitation of mandis, storage point, arhtiya shops besides lifting of sold wheat within 48 hours, revealed Khanna.
Notably, a 30-member control room has been set up in the Mandi Board head office and in each of the designated purchase agencies to meticulously coordinate procurement operations and logistics with each district 24X7.