Reviewing preparations for the Rabi-purchase session 2020-21, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat granted approval to Rs 1,925 per quintal as the support price for wheat. The attempt should be to facilitate maximum rates to the farmers for their produce and better facilities, he stressed. Last year the support price for wheat in the state was Rs 1860 per quintal including Rs 20 bonus. Rawat directed officials to ensure that farmers are paid in time for their produce. He also approved Rs 150 crore to the food department to enable timely payment to the wheat farmers.
Rawat directed that along with timely establishment of wheat purchase centres, storage capacity should be increased in border areas and Haridwar too in view of the Kumbh Mela. He directed all the departments concerned to make an effective and coordinated work plan for this.
Along with timely payment to the farmers, all necessary facilities should be ensured at the purchase centres. Further, necessary assistance should also be provided for organic wheat cultivation and farmers involved in it. Agreement was reached upon setting up a total of 174 purchase centres through food department, cooperative and NAFED, and to purchase new sacks as per the requirement. Food secretary Sushil Kumar informed the CM that during 2020-21, the target is for sowing wheat in 3,27,000 hectare area and producing 9,60,000 metric tonnes of wheat. As per the agreement made with the World Bank, two temporary godowns with 500 tonne capacity each and two new storage houses with 50,000 tonne capacity are being established in Udham Singh Nagar and Rishikesh. Kumar further informed that about two lakh metric tonne storage capacity will be needed for the same quantity of wheat during the Rabi marketing session 2020-21. Currently, counting the various facilities, 1.91 lakh metric tonne additional storage capacity is available. Secretary R Meenakshi Sundaram, Kumaon RFC Lalit Mohan, Garhwal RFC Chandra Singh and other officials concerned were also present in the review meeting.