Ensured fairly successful procurement season despite challenges: Lal Chand Kataruchak
· Around Rs. 39000 Crore credited into accounts of farmers
· Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister exhorts beneficiaries to go in for e-KYC verification
Chandigarh, December 3: The Punjab Government propelled by the visionary approach of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann always stands shoulder to shoulder with the Arhtiyas, Farmers, Millers & Labourers who are closely connected with the economy of the State and are the most important factor in ensuring success of wheat and paddy procurement seasons.
Appreciating the dynamic role played by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department in ensuring a successful procurement season, the Minister concerned Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak lauded the fact that the officers and employees at both the Headquarter and District worked hard to ensure the success of the present paddy procurement season despite some challenges.
Talking to the media persons after chairing a meeting with the DFSCs here today, the Minister apprised that the paddy season is almost over now and the State Government has procured 173.50 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT) paddy out of the total arrival of 173.65 LMT. Also, more than Rs. 39000 Crore have been credited into the accounts of the farmers, said the Minister adding that the milling process has already commenced in Pathankot, Mohali and Rupnagar Districts.
Regarding the storage space issue, the Minister added that the State Government has emphatically taken up the matter with the Union Government and said that the Central Government should help Punjab in the creation of more storage space. He further divulged that at present 15 LMT of rice is being moved out of the State every month.
The Minister also disclosed that E-KYC survey is currently going on with regard to the verification of the ration cards. He mentioned that out of the total 1.57 Crore beneficiaries, the e-KYC process of verification has been completed pertaining to 1.06 Crore beneficiaries and appealed to the remaining beneficiaries to go for the e – KYC procedure so as to make sure that the genuine and needy beneficiaries are not devoid of the benefits of receiving 5 Kg wheat per person per month.
Exhorting the departmental officers to do even better during the next season, Mr. Kataruchak said that the present season has been a learning experience and the department would apply in the next season, the outcomes of the experience gained this time.
On the occasion, Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Vikas Garg, Director Puneet Goyal, other senior officers and the DFSCs were present.