The Punjab Government on Tuesday formally kickstarted the paddy procurement season from Bhogpur Dana Mandi in Jalandhar district, with Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak reaffirming the state’s commitment to lift every single grain of farmers’ produce and ensure timely payments.
Launching the procurement drive, Kataruchak announced that the state has already secured Cash Credit Limits (CCL) of ₹15,000 crore for September and an additional ₹27,000 crore for October. He said the timely clearance of CCLs demonstrates the government’s readiness to handle one of the largest procurement exercises in the country.
The Minister underlined that despite challenges posed by the recent floods, robust arrangements had been made under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to guarantee a smooth and hassle-free procurement season. “Farmers’ welfare has always been our foremost priority, and we are determined that no cultivator faces any hurdles in selling their crop,” he told reporters after reviewing arrangements at the mandi.
Kataruchak informed that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy has been fixed at ₹2,389 per quintal this year. Against a procurement target of 172 lakh metric tonnes, arrangements have been made to procure nearly 190 lakh MT, ensuring that no grain is left unsold. He added that the government has ensured adequate availability of bardana (gunny bags) to avoid last-minute inconvenience.
He further assured that procurement, lifting, and payments will go hand in hand, with funds transferred directly to farmers’ accounts within the stipulated timeframe. Officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Punjab Mandi Board, and district administrations have been directed to personally monitor procurement operations to maintain efficiency and transparency.
The Punjab Mandi Board has operationalized 1,822 mandis and purchase centers across the state. Alongside procurement infrastructure, the Board has also arranged for electricity, clean drinking water, sanitation, and other amenities to support farmers during the season.
During his Bhogpur visit, the Minister interacted with farmers Gurkirat Singh, Jaspal Singh, and Sukhraj Singh, who expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and procurement process. Kataruchak assured them that their payments would be cleared at the earliest, while appealing to cultivators to bring only fully dried paddy to the mandis, since excessive moisture could affect procurement.
Senior AAP leader Pawan Kumar Tinu, SDM Randeep Singh Heer, DFSC Harveen Kaur, and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
