CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, on Wednesday, directed the Secretary Food and Civil Supplies Department to ensure elaborate arrangements in place for smooth and hassle-free paddy procurement during Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2021-22. The Agriculture Department has fixed the target of 197.47 LMT of paddy production during the current KMS with the sowing of the crop over 30 lakh hectares across the State. Notably, the department successfully procured 202.83 LMTpaddy in Kharif Marketing Season 2020-21 and 132.10 LMT wheat in Rabi Marketing Season 2021-22 (RMS 2021-22).
Chairing a high-level virtual meeting to review the functioning of the Department, the Chief Minister also asked the Food and Civil Supplies Department to tie up with the Centre well in advance for timely procurement of gunny bags besides ensuring requisite logistics including transportation and labour for an un-interrupted lifting of paddy so that the farmers could get payment of their produce within the stipulated timeline. He also asked the Secretary of Food and Civil Supplies to ensure speedy distribution of foodgrains to the beneficiaries.