Chandigarh, October 25:
The Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Monday directed the procurement agencies to immediately take all necessary steps to put the paddy procurement process back on track after heavy rains lashed parts of Punjab over the past two days.
Acting on the directions of the Chief Minister, a meeting of the heads of all the Procurement Agencies, FCI and Mandi Board was today convened by Secretary Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Gurkirat Kirpal Singh. The officials took stock of the situation arising out of the heavy downpour and its effect on the paddy crop lying in the Mandis.
The Secretary Mandi Board Ravi Bhagat stated that necessary arrangements have been made in all the Mandis and the paddy stock has been covered with tarpaulins. Water logging was reported in a few low lying Mandis in Sangrur and Patiala where motors had been pressed into action to drain out the water, said adding it was decided that the Mandi Board shall engage special labour on daily wage today to extensively undertake the task of mopping and drying the Mandis across the State in order to facilitate drying of paddy and smooth entry and exit of trolleys and trucks. Meanwhile, the Mandi Board was also directed to ensure that Arhtiyas take immediate steps to dry the paddy, wherever it had gained moisture, in order to facilitate its early purchase. The Secretary Mandi Board was directed to submit an action taken report in this regard by 5 PM today.
The Managing Directors of Markfed, PUNGRAIN, PUNSUP and PSWC besides the GM, FCI were asked to undertake tours across the State to assess the efforts being taken to restore normal Procurement operations.
Likewise, all procurement agencies were directed to resume lifting operations immediately in view of the weather clearing up. The MDs were also ordered to ask their district staff to visit all the Mandis today and coordinate with the officials of the Market Committees, Arhtiyas and Farmers and assure them of an early resumption of smooth procurement process. The MD Markfed stated that purchase in the Mandis was expected to start in the afternoon today in view of the sunny conditions.
It was felt that concerted efforts can enable complete restoration of normal procurement operations within 24 hours and all officers were asked to work hard towards achieving the same.
The meeting was attended by Ravinder Kaushik, MD PUNSUP, Varun Roojan, MD Markfed, Arshdeep Singh Thind, GM FCI Abhinav Trikha, Director Food & Civil Supplies, Ravi Bhagat, Secretary Mandi Board and Yashanjit Singh, MD PSWC.
