PUNJAB FARMERS PAID OVER RS. 6000 CRORES,
AS PROCUREMENT TOUCHES 70 LAC TONNE MARK

Chandigarh, April 28, 2008

The Punjab Government has made a payment of more than Rs. 6000 crores to the farmers of the State for wheat procured upto April 27, 2008 ensuring payment to the farmers within 48 hours of lifting of their wheat as procurement of wheat in 1615 procurement centres of Punjab touched 70 lac tonne mark

A spokesman of the Punjab Government today said that Punjab Government has already set aside Rs. 11176 crores for total procurement season to ensure hassle free payment to the farmers. He said that Rs. 8000 crore has been placed at the disposal of Food and Supply Department for the month of April alone. He said that Rs. 951.50 crore has been allocated to PUNGRAIN where as MARKFED has been allocated Rs. 1216.30 crores for wheat procurement. Similarly PUNSUP has been allocated Rs. 1237 crores and an amount of Rs. 590.26 crores has been placed at the disposal of PSWC.Similarly PAFC and FCI have been allocated Rs. 661.68 crores and Rs. 624.94 crore respectively.

The spokesman said that six government agencies and private millers have procured more than 69.67 lac tonnes of wheat in Punjab out of which 67.64 lac tonne (97.01%) has been procured for the central pool and 45195 tonne has been procured for the State pool.

According to an official spokesman Government agencies and private millers procured more than 69.67 lac tonnes of wheat till Sunday evening. Out of total procurement of 69, 67,234 tonnes of wheat in all the procurement centers of Punjab, Government agencies procured 68, 09,492 tonnes of wheat (97.7%) till date whereas millers have lifted 1,57,742 tonnes (2.3%) of wheat. Till April 27, PUNGRAIN had procured 12, 46,843 tonnes (18.4%) whereas MARKFED procured 16, 18,520 tonnes (23.9%). PUNSUP procured 15, 42, 710 tonnes (22.8%), PSWC procured 8, 59,949 tonnes (12.7%) whereas PAIC was able to procure7, 93,776 tonnes (11.7 %) of wheat for the central pool. The Central Government agency FCI had been able to procure 7, 02,491 tonnes (10.4%) for the central pool.

The spokesman said that in addition MARKFED procured 15058 tonnes (33.3%), PUNSUP procured 26,412 tonnes (58.4%) and PAIC procured 3725 (0.1%) tonnes for the State pool.

He added that Sangrur District with 8,52,363 tonnes of procurement was leading in procurement operations whereas Ferozepur District with 8,39,241 tonnes of procurement was at second slot and Patiala district with 7,63,358 tonnes of procurement ranked at third position.

The State Government has set up over 1615 procurement centres and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement of wheat, the spokesman added

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Forthcoming Panchayat Elections----CS Reviews Arrangements

Chandigarh April 28, 2008
Shikha Nehra

Mr.R.I.Singh Chief Secretary Punjab has asked the deputy commissioners of the state to ensure smooth and fair forthcoming zila parishad and block samitis elections in Punjab.

Addressing a meeting of the deputy commissioners and senior officers of the government to review the law and order and other administrative aspects during the elections, Mr. Singh said that there should be no compromise on the law and order situation and asked the deputy commissioners to effectively enforce the directions and the guidelines of the government and the election commission. Adequate funds and number of required vehicles would be placed at the disposal of the deputy commissioners. He has also asked them to identify sensitive polling booths all over the state so that necessary attention could be paid to such polling stations. The chief secretary further said that if required women staff would be deployed where there was a shortage of staff and they should not be placed on duty in the interior, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. N.P.S. Aulakh, DGP Punjab said that there were 3700 identified sensitive polling booths in the state. As many as 30,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure fair and incident free elections in the state. He also said that 75% of the police force would be mobilized from within the state itself and necessary arrangements had been made for regular police patrolling during the elections, he said.

Mr.D.S.Guru Principal Secretary to the CM, Mr.Subodh Chander Aggarwal, Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry and Home, Mr.G.S.Sandhu, Secretary Rural Development & Panchayats were also present. in the meeting.