Ludhiana, October 1
Paddy procurement has been started in the state from today. Atam Nagar MLA Kulwant Singh Sidhu visited the Dana Mandi on Gill Road this afternoon to review arrangements at the site. He later expressed dissatisfaction over the arrangements made for paddy procurement.
The legislator dialled an official concerned and instructed him to ensure proper arrangements by the evening, or else he would report to the CM in this regard. He found some trucks parked unnecessarily at the mandi. Besides, wet clothes were seen hanging on a rope under the shed where the weighing of produce usually takes place.
Expressing dissatisfaction, the MLA asked the official concerned where the farmers would keep their produce. No negligence would be tolerated, he said.
He added he had directed the officials concerned to make all necessary arrangements, including water, lights, seating and toilets, in the grain market.
He said strict instructions have been issued that farmers should not face any inconvenience regarding transport, payments, and lifting of stock etc.
He said measures had been taken to prevent the arrival of paddy from outside the state and the government was keeping a check on vehicles coming into Punjab from other states.
Procurement begins at Khanna
Khanna MLA Taranpreet Singh Sondh on Saturday kick-started paddy procurement at Asia’s biggest grain market and directed officials to ensure smooth procurement operations to facilitate farmers. Sondh said this year 1.85 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were expected to arrive at the mandi for which elaborate arrangements have been put in place. He reiterated the commitment of the government to procure every grain of the food growers. He also interacted with some of the farmers present on the site and took their feedback about arrangements made by the officials.
