CM for maximum procurement of wheat

Bhopal, Apr 20: Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that it is necessary to procure maximum quantity of wheat on support price for ensuring success of Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana, under which wheat would be supplied at the rate of Rs three per kg to poor families from fair price shops.

Keeping this target in mind, commissioners, collectors and all the concerning officers must act on a war footing and make concerted arrangements for immediate payment to farmers apart from transportation and storage of wheat. Chief Minister Chouhan warned that strict action will be taken after lodging of report with the police against concerning persons, if any complaint about payment less than Rs 1100 per quintal including Rs 1000 support price and Rs 100 bonus is received from anywhere.

Chouhan was addressing all the commissioners, collectors and concerning officers today through video conferencing. Chouhan said that during his forthcoming tours he would inspect purchase of wheat at Mandis and instructed commissioners and collectors to do the same. Chouhan said that the samples of wheat being sold at less price than Rs 1100 per quintal at Mandis should be collected and inspected by commissioners and collectors.

Necessary arrangements have been made in accordance with the target to procure 25 lakh tonnes of wheat from farmers in the state. Such large-scale arrangements for wheat procurement had never been made in the past. So far, 4.50 lakh tonnes of wheat has been procured in the state which is ten times more than last year's procurement. The Union Government has also appreciated work of procurement of wheat on support price in Madhya Pradesh. Instructions were also issued for ensuring proper arrangements for farmers at the wheat procurement centres including rest and drinking water.

Collectors of some of the districts enumerated problems including shortage of Hessian bags, delay in payment and transport problem whereupon Chief Minister Chouhan instructed the senior officers present on the occasion to take immediate action. He also gave instructions to investigate delay in payments to farmers in Dhar district and present its report to him. Chouhan said that immediate action would be ensured on the complaints received from farmers at the control rooms set up at the Chief Minister's residence and offices of collectors.