Chandigarh, Oct 25 (IANS) After procuring 52.18 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday said the government is committed to purchasing every grain of crops.

“Both the Central and state governments, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are working in the interest of farmers. At present, procurement of paddy and bajra crops is underway in the state,” he said.

However, those attempting to “defraud” the government under the pretext of procurement will not be spared under any circumstances, CM Saini said.

The Chief Minister was chairing a high-level review meeting to ensure transparency and smooth operations in paddy and bajra procurement.

Officers from all departments concerned attended the meeting, with all Deputy Commissioners and Police Superintendents joining virtually.

The meeting reviewed arrangements related to the procurement, the condition of mandis, farmers’ complaints, and the e-procurement system.

The Chief Minister was categorically clear in saying the government would not compromise on the interests of farmers.

CM Saini instructed that in cases where irregularities were found in e-procurement portal entries, employees and officers have been suspended.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the government is determined to protect farmers’ earnings and purchase every grain of their produce.

Officials reported that paddy procurement started on October 22, and in most markets, it is proceeding smoothly. So far, procurement from 2.66 lakh farmers has resulted in approximately 52.18 lakh metric tonnes of paddy being purchased.

Around Rs 10,204.98 crore has been transferred to farmers’ accounts. Procurement of bajra includes 291.10 metric tonnes by state agencies and 3.99 lakh metric tonnes by private traders.

The officials also reported some complaints regarding paddy coming from other states and irregularities in gate pass scanning, to which the government has taken a strict stance.

Physical verification is being conducted for rice mills in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal, where paddy has been allocated for milling.

To prevent illegal entry of paddy from other states, all border districts have been instructed to implement strict police checkpoints.

The Chief Minister instructed district administration officers to regularly visit mandis and interact with farmers. Rice mills allocated paddy should be physically verified periodically.

–IANS

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