CHIEF MINISTER OFFICE PUNJAB

CHIEF MINISTER OFFICE PUNJAB


PUNJAB CM REVIEWS ARRANGEMENTS OF WHEAT PROCUREMENT

CHANDIGARH FEBRUARY 27:

Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today reviewed the arrangements of the wheat procurement in the State during the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS)- 2009 to ensure smooth, efficient and quick procurement and directed the Deputy Commissioners to personally oversee the procurement operations in close coordination with the functionaries of the Food and Civil Supplies department and the heads of the procurement agencies to undertake the procurement as per their allotted share so that every grain of the farmer was lifted.
Presiding over a high-level meeting to monitor the arrangements for the wheat procurement, Mr.Badal asked the Secretary Food and Civil Supplies to depute senior officers of the department to supervise procurement operations in the state. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to make adequate arrangements for space of all the government establishments like cooperative sugar mills, industrial focal points and even the focal points of cooperation department in the villages to utilize the vacant space for the safe storage of the wheat. He also asked the food and supplies department that no laxity on their part would be tolerated.
Mr. Badal was also apprised in the meeting that the procurement of wheat was likely to touch 115 lakh MTs during the RMS 2009 as compared to last year procurement target of 105 lac MTs.
The Chief Minister directed his Principal Secretary DS Guru to personally visit and hold meetings at the Divisional level with the concerned Commissioners and the Deputy Commissioners to monitor these arrangements meticulously.
Taking part in the deliberations, Food & Civil Supplies Minister Mr. Adesh Partap Singh Kairon said that approximately 1600 purchase centers had been set up for the procurement and there was no shortage of procurement articles like crates and gunny bags. He also informed the Chief Minister that the department had already tied up to ensure sufficient labour and transport to ensure smooth movement of wheat procurement. He assured the Chief Minister that the entire procurement process would be hassle free and the detailed instructions had already been issued to all the concerned in the Mandis to ensure timely payment to the farmers.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Financial Commissioner Development NS Kang, Secretary Food & Civil Supplies SP Singh and Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Gagandeep Singh Brar besides all Deputy commissioners of the state.
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No.CMO-09/67