AMN / CHANDIGARH
Punjab has set new landmark by procuring 27 lakh 97 thousand 108 metric tonnes of wheat in this season till 23rd April in 9 days as against procurement of 12 lakh 85 thousand 981 metric tonnes of wheat procured upto April 23 in 23 days last year.
Disclosing this Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that this year due the emergent situation of COVID-19 the process of procurement of wheat was commenced from April 15 instead of April 1 last year.
He said that adequate arrangement of proper hygiene have been ensured in the mandis for the protection of the farmers from the potential attack of coronavirus. He said this year government agencies procured 250 percent more wheat as compared to last year.
The Minister vehemently refuted the news items in which it was reported that there is acute shortage of gunny bags in Punjab. He said that at present the department has more than 2,58 lakh bales of gunny bags whereas the supply of 50 thousand more gunny bags is shortly reaching in Punjab.
The Minister said that this year due to the spread of COVID-19 the department is running its operations of Mandis with less than 50 percent labour. He said that the lifting was slow due to this reason but now the department has chalked out a policy to increase the lifting. He said that till now 126 lakh 22 thousand 727 MT wheat has been lifted. He said that payment of Rs 789 crore 90 thousand has been made for the procurement of wheat so far.
