Chandigarh, October 18:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday directed senior IAS officers and Administrative Secretaries of various departments to ensure that the ongoing procurement of paddy is carried out in a smooth and hassle-free manner during the upcoming festival of lights.
Chairing a meeting with IAS officers at his residence, the Chief Minister noted that despite massive devastation caused by floods in the state, Punjab is still expected to contribute 175 LMT of paddy to the national pool. Stressing the need for seamless and efficient procurement, he said that concerted efforts must be made to ensure that every grain produced through the hard work and dedication of Punjabi farmers is purchased. Bhagwant Singh Mann informed the officers that the Punjab government has notified 1,822 regular purchase centers for procurement of paddy in KMS 2025–26, and that all these notified mandis have been duly allotted by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, Punjab.
The Chief Minister revealed that as of Friday, 38.65 lakh MT of paddy had arrived in the mandis, out of which 37.20 lakh MT had already been purchased. He said that, in line with the state government’s norm to ensure lifting within 72 hours of procurement, an impressive 100% lifting had been achieved. Bhagwant Singh Mann further mentioned that payments totaling Rs 7,472.20 crore had already been made to farmers for the procured grains.
Reiterating the state government’s firm commitment to procure every single grain of paddy, the Chief Minister said he is personally monitoring the entire procurement process to ensure that farmers do not face any inconvenience. He emphasized that the government has introduced path-breaking measures to ensure smooth, transparent, and efficient grain procurement across the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann added that no stone will be left unturned to facilitate farmers through foolproof arrangements at the micro level.
On the occasion, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and other senior officers of the state government were also present.
