WHEAT PROCUREMENT: Punjab Seeks Daily Report On Lifting & Payment Positions

Chandigarh, May 11, 2015: The Punjab Food department has issued strict directive to all the purchase centres to submit daily report of the lifting and payment positions during the ongoing procurement operations in the state. According to a spokesperson of the Food department Punjab the decision to this effect was taken after receiving the reports of delayed lifting and payments from a few purchase centres.

 The spokesperson of the Punjab Food department said that the report should reach daily to the especially set up control room by the department for the arrivals, lifting of wheat and payments made to the commission agents/ farmers. The officers directly responsible for the procurement operations have also been asked to ensure payments to the commission agents and farmers within 48 hours of the lifting of the wheat. The Commission agents have been asked to submit the actual bill of the wheat lifted simultaneously to the Food department so that the payments could be made within the fixed time.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that 97, 98,243 MT of wheat had been procured in the state till last evening. The government agencies procured 93, 15,732 MT for central pool. While the private traders procured 1, 46,611 MT of wheat till last evening.

Giving agency wise procurement details, she said that PUNGRAIN procured 15, 98,963 MT (16.3%) whereas MARKFED procured maximum out of the government agencies at 19,64,187 MT (20.0%) PUNSUP procured 19, 10,328 MT (19.5%) and PSWC 11, 74,718 MT (12.0%) and PAIC procured 9, 48,687 (9.7%). The Central government agency FCI has procured 17, 18,849 MT (17.5%) of wheat for the central pool.