Punjab govt to procure 140 lakh tonne paddy

CHANDIGARH: Punjab government would procure 140 lakh tonne paddy for central pool during current Khariff season against 132.17 lakh tonne procured in the last year. While disclosing this here today, Dharamjit Singh Grewal, Director, Food and Civil Supplies Punjab said that to avoid any inconvenience to the farmers, adequate arrangements for paddy procurement has been completed so that payment could be made in time.

He further said that stock of procured paddy would be placed in 3,000 godowns of the state. "FCI would procure 10 per cent total arrival of the paddy in the market and store in their godowns. Besides this PUNGRAIN 30 per cent, PUNSUP and MARKFED 20-20 per cent respectively, WAREHOUSE 12 per cent and Punjab Agro would procure 8 per cent," he said.

He further added that to overcome the problem of non availability of gunny bags 8 lakh gunny bales were being arranged."7.20 lakh gunny bales would be arranged by Punjab Government and remaining 80 thousand gunny bales would be arranged by Food Corporation of India. He said that state government has already made the payment to Director General Supplies and Disposal, Government of India for gunny bales. He said that 2.50 lakh gunny bales have already been arrived and others were expected to arrive before 15th August. The various procurement agencies of Punjab have been asked to make liaison with the agents association in this regard for smooth procurement.