IEP Chandigarh, April 24
The Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann led Punjab Government has made an all time high record of MSP payments to the tune of ₹11,394 Crore to the farmers by 23rd April, 2023 beating it’s own record set last year after it came into power. Sharing these details, Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister said that ever since the current Punjab Government took charge, the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has adopted a strong pro-farmer stance which is backed by facts and figures. Elaborating further, the Minister said that the data of farmer payments up to 23rd April in the past years shows that this year ₹11,394 Crore has been released directly into the bank accounts of the farmers till this date which is higher than the earlier record of ₹11,288 crore set last year. Prior to that the highest payments by this date were in the years 2018-19, 2013-14 and 2017-18 when ₹7568 crore, ₹6745 crore and ₹6418 crore had been disbursed. The Minister said that during 2020-21 and 2019-20 the farmers had not even received ₹300 crore by this date whereas in the year 2015-16, payments had not even started. This is a testimony to the honest efforts of the present State Government in improving the wheat procurement operations and eliminating corrupt practices, he said. The Minister added that the present Government is adopting proactive approach in disbursing Kharaaba or absorbing the value cut imposed by the Centre on the MSP, added the Minister.
