Chandigarh : To ensure an unhindered procurement process during the ongoing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22, the Punjab government has approved the packaging of wheat in good quality used gunny bags provided by Arhtiyas. This would ensure that there is no shortage of gunny bags in any mandi of Punjab. Herein it may be noted that the arrival of wheat in Mandis has increased to 8 LMT per day and there is a nationwide shortage of new gunny bags and new PP bags for storage of the procured wheat.
Giving further details, a spokesperson for the State Government stated that Chief Minister reviewed the status of procurement with senior officials. Regarding the issue of the slow pace of purchase in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur, it was explained that the grain of wheat in these areas is shrivelled and accordingly there is a relaxation in procurement specifications required from the Government of India before it can be purchased. The government of Punjab has, on 16 April, already written to the Government of India to grant immediate relaxation in the uniform specifications of wheat in respect of shrivelled and broken grains up to 11% and luster loss up to 10% in the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, and Fazilka without any value cut. However, the reply from the Government of India is still awaited. Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh directed the Food & Supplies Minister and the Principal Secretary, Food and Civil Supplies to immediately resolve the matter by pursuing it with their counterparts in the Government of India.