Minimum Support Price of Rupees 5,334.54 crore was released directly into accounts of over 1 lakh farmers in a single day on Sunday, said Punjab Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister, Lal Chand Kataruchak.
“MSP payment of Rs. 5334.54 Crores has been released directly into the accounts of nearly 1,84,409 farmers in a single day yesterday, during the ongoing Paddy Procurement season in the State, while another Rs 1500 crores has been approved for payment and would be released once the Banks open on Monday,” the Minister said.
144 lakh metric ton (LMT) of paddy has already been purchased in the season till Saturday, he added.
Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies, Rahul Bhandari said that with the approval of CCL for November, MSP payments have continued to be made seamlessly. He also added that almost all paddy has been procured as well as lifted in the Majha belt and most of the arrivals now are being witnessed in the Malwa belt. More than 98% of the paddy procured before 72 hours has already been lifted as per reports received from districts.
Last month, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in a meeting with the Administrative Secretaries of the state government emphasised on the need for smooth and hassle free procurement and lifting of the paddy during the ongoing procurement season, from the grain markets across the state.
He had asked to make sure that food grains are procured without any delay and added that the procurement process must be completed without any sort of inconvenience to the farmers.
During the same meeting, the CM had launched a mass campaign to sensitise farmers on paddy straw burning. He had said that burning of paddy straw causes a huge threat to human life besides creating environmental hazards. Mann also said that efforts need to be made for checking the practice of stubble at all costs by making the farmers aware of its ill effects.