Chandigarh: The Punjab government has initiated a five-day intensive campaign to restore grain markets (mandis) damaged by the recent floods, ensuring farmers face no hurdles during the upcoming paddy procurement season. The campaign, which began Sunday, is focused on flood-affected districts where mandis were left waterlogged and silted.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian said the state has set September 19 as the deadline for completing the restoration work, ahead of the procurement drive starting September 16. “The Bhagwant Singh Mann-led government is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers. This campaign will guarantee farmers a seamless selling experience,” he said.
Khudian added that officials of the Punjab Mandi Board and District Mandi Officers (DMOs) have been tasked with personally supervising clean-up and infrastructure readiness. Initial restoration efforts, including removal of stagnant water, silt clearance, and repairs, have already been completed in many mandis. The state has also assured farmers of smooth procurement and immediate payment for their produce.
Calling the procurement season crucial for Punjab’s agrarian economy, the minister emphasized that the government is taking “every possible step” to protect farmers’ livelihoods despite the devastation caused by floods.
Meanwhile, Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian announced that a special girdawari has been launched across Punjab to assess flood-related losses. He directed officials to carry out the survey transparently and in a time-bound manner so that no affected family is denied rightful compensation.
