Ludhiana, April 6: In another major decision to avoid crowding in the grain markets for smooth wheat procurement amidst coronavirus, the administration has decided to increase the purchase centres in the district by creating additional procurement centres along with the existing 108 markets.
Disclosing further details, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that the decision has been taken to ensure social distancing strictly adheres during procurement operations in the grain markets.
He told that around 200 additional purchase centres would be created by using the temporary yards in the mills to ensure that main grain markets remain decongest and remain crowd-free. He said that we have to adhere to social distancing norms strictly for which these extra purchase centres would be utilized for the procurement.
He said that this is inconsonance of the firm commitment of the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to procure every single grain of the farmers in the markets by keeping these places free of Covid.
Also read: Ministers and officials visit Ludhiana roof collapse site
Deputy Commissioner said that the wheat procurement would start from April 10 and is expected to be continued till May 31.
He said that around 9 lakh metric ton of grains is expected in the grain markets for which elaborate arrangements have been made. Sharma said that for the purchase of grain grid marking of 30 by 30 feet has been done in the grain markets in which every farmer would unload their produce so that social distancing is strictly followed.
He added that orders have been issued to the officials to physically inspect the arrangements in the markets to facilitate the farmers, labourers, and others. He said that every single grain of the farmers would be procured and any kind of callousness would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, on the directions of Deputy Commissioner, a team led by District Food and Supply Controller Sukhwinder Singh Gill along with food inspector Jaswinder Singh Pandher and others took stock of the arrangements in Mullanpur grain market and others.