1.76 LMT paddy procured on Day 8 in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 10

Government agencies purchased 1.76 lakh metric tonne paddy on the eighth day of procurement of the ongoing kharif season in Punjab.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said government agencies procured 1,74,589.95 MT, while private millers purchased 994 MT paddy.

So far, 9.33 LMT paddy had arrived in the state, out of which 8.63 LMT had been procured. The department had cleared Rs 770.31 crore payment to farmers.

Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours, the Food and Civil Supplies Department had got three FIRs registered for bringing in rice illegally from other states.

Two trucks were seized at the Moonak border in Sangrur district, while the third was seized at the Shambhu border in Patiala. At least 800 quintal rice was recovered from the trucks.

Fazilka arhtiya’s licence suspended

Fazilka: The licence of a commission agent firm in Jalalabad has been suspended for five days over anomalies in the procurement process. Baljinder Singh, secretary, Market Committee, Jalalabad, said 472 bags of parmal variety of paddy were found excess on the shop of the commission agent.

The firm failed to file satisfactory reply resulting in suspension of licence under the Punjab Agriculture Produce Marketing Act, 1961. — OC

Bid to smuggle rice, case filed

Sangrur: The Moonak police confiscated 349 quintals of smuggled rice from a truck on the Punjab and Haryana border and registered a case. The rice was allegedly being smuggled to Punjab under the bills of two rice mills located in UP and Haryana.

During checking of vehicles at the Moonak barrier, officials intercepted a truck loaded with rice. When they checked the bills, they found these were under the names of rice mills from UP and Haryana. — TNS

Hry gives MSP on 11 crops, Pb none: BJP

Chandigarh: The BJP on Sunday alleged the Congress was more interested in creating law and order problems than resolving the issues of farmers. State BJP president Ashwani Sharma said it was on record that Punjab did not give MSP on any crop, while neighbouring Haryana gave benefits in the form of subsidy and MSP on 11 crops. The economic health of the state can be gauged from the mere fact that it could not lift paddy even for four days. — TNS