Punjab wheat procurement: Centre agrees special trains to lift 155 LMT, easing storage crunch

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said on Friday that the Centre agreed to run special trains. These trains will move about 155 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and rice from Punjab. Mann said this eased pressure on storage before the Rabi marketing season. Mann said it also brought relief for farmers during procurement.

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Mann met Union Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi in Delhi. Mann said the plan will clear space in godowns. Mann said it will support smooth wheat procurement in the ongoing season. Punjab expects wheat procurement of around 130-132 LMT during the current Rabi season.

Punjab storage crisis and special trains to lift wheat and rice

Mann said Punjab is facing a serious shortage of storage space. Mann said most covered godowns in the state are already full. Mann said faster movement of foodgrains is needed to avoid a bottleneck. Mann said the lifting plan will reduce the storage strain in the coming weeks.

Mann said the state had asked the Centre to speed up foodgrain movement. Mann said current lifting stands at about 5 LMT per month. Mann said this pace is not enough for Punjab’s needs. Mann demanded that monthly lifting should rise to at least 12 LMT per month.

Punjab Rural Development Fund RDF dues and cash credit interest issue

Mann raised the issue of Rs 9,000 crore pending under the Rural Development Fund RDF. Mann said the Union Minister assured a Secretary-level meeting will be held soon. Mann also said Punjab pays a higher interest rate on cash credit. Mann demanded a uniform rate, and said Punjab bears losses now.

Punjab farmer compensation, arthiyas commission, and mandi functioning

Mann urged the Centre to send a team to assess crop damage from recent hailstorms. Mann asked for compensation for farmers affected by the weather. Mann also raised the commission issue for arthiyas. Mann said the commission may rise by about Rs 4.75 per quintal for wheat and paddy.

Mann said the Centre responded positively to the concerns raised in the meeting. Mann said necessary action was assured to protect farmers’ interests. Mann said the steps were also aimed at smooth functioning of mandis. The comments were shared through an official statement issued on Friday.

With inputs from PTI