Ensure smooth procurement: Punjab CM to Centre

Chandigarh, September 24

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi today urged the Centre to help the state get authorisation of Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), 2021-22, from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expeditiously.

Keeping in view the upcoming kharif season, the Channi had detailed discussion with the Union Secretary, Food and Public Distribution, Sudhanshu Pandey, who called on the former at his office this afternoon.

Acceding to the request of the CM to allow current procurement of paddy according to the previous norms, Pandey said the Centre had already taken a decision to procure paddy in the state as per the existing norms during the current paddy season starting from October 1.

The CM told the Union Secretary that the revised norms should only be finalised by taking all stakeholders, the state government, farmers’ associations, arhtiyas and mills, into confidence.

Expecting a bumper paddy crop during the current season, he sought cooperation from the Centre to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement as per production target of the agriculture supported by the remote-sensing data. — TNS