Bhogpur (Jalandhar): Punjab Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday inaugurated the paddy procurement season at Bhogpur Dana Mandi, reaffirming the government’s promise to lift every grain of farmers’ produce.
The minister, reviewing arrangements, said Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government is committed to a smooth and hassle-free procurement process. He assured farmers that despite the challenges caused by recent floods, robust systems were in place across Punjab to prevent any inconvenience in selling crops.
Kataruchak announced that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy has been fixed at ₹2,389 per quintal. To support procurement, the state has secured Cash Credit Limits of ₹15,000 crore for September and ₹27,000 crore for October. He added that adequate supplies of bardana (gunny bags) were available.
While the Centre has set a target of 172 lakh MT of paddy procurement for Punjab this season, the state has prepared to handle nearly 190 lakh MT. The minister said payments will be promptly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts, with lifting and payment going hand in hand. He directed Food and Civil Supplies officials, the Punjab Mandi Board, and district authorities to ensure transparency and efficiency by personally monitoring mandis.
The Punjab Mandi Board has activated 1,822 purchase centres, with arrangements for electricity, drinking water, and other facilities to aid smooth operations. During his visit, Kataruchak interacted with farmers Gurkirat Singh, Jaspal Singh, and Sukhraj Singh, who expressed satisfaction with the swift procurement process. He assured them of timely payments and appealed to farmers to bring only fully dried paddy, warning that higher moisture could delay procurement.
Senior AAP leader Pawan Kumar Tinu, SDM Randeep Singh Heer, DFSC Harveen Kaur, and officials from various departments were present at the launch.
