Paddy procurement Punjab start from Sept 15

Moga, Sept 7 (UNI) The Punjab Mandi Board has made all the arrangements for the procurement of paddy starting from September 15.

Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, who paid a surprise visit to the office of Moga market committee and reviewed the arrangements with the Mandi Board officials, announced this today.

He said the market committees had made arrangements for providing lightings, 'shamianas,' drinking water facilities, toilet facilities and also with moisture metres.

While talking to media Mr Lakhowal said, ''All the commission agents have also been directed to arrange tarpaulines and power cleaners. If there is rain and produce is damaged, respective commission agents will be held responsible and board will not hesitate even to suspend their license''.

Mr Lakhowal also informed that he had held a meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners and the District Managers of the procurement arrangements and asked them to have sufficient stock of gunny bags, proper lifting of procured paddy without any delay and ensure direct payment to the farmers within 72 hours.

Mr Lakhowal said the Board had planned modernisation of four important mandis of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur and Muktsar in the first phase at an estimated cost of more than Rs 400 crore and 25 per cent of the cost would be financed by the Centre.

In the second phase Board would undertake modernisation project of 10 mandis for which Centre would give financial assistant to the tune of 49 per cent, he added.

The Board had also decided to install display boards about the prices of the crops in other states so that Punjab farmers knows nows the prices of different crops in other states, Mr Lakhowal said.

UNI