Bhopal, May 2 (IANS) Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday reviewed the wheat procurement process in his parliamentary constituency, Vidisha, and issued necessary directions to officials.

The review meeting focused on improving the speed and efficiency of procurement operations during the ongoing wheat procurement season. Officials informed that most of the earlier problems, including delays in slot booking, have now been addressed.

“The process of procuring wheat from our farmer brothers and sisters is proceeding continuously, and most of the issues have now been resolved,” Shivraj Chouhan said after the review meeting.

The Union Minister said that the slot booking system has improved significantly, with over 80 per cent of farmers already completing their bookings. He added that the process, which had slowed earlier due to technical glitches, is now running smoothly across all centres.

He also said that procurement will continue till May 23, although most farmers are expected to complete the process well before the deadline. He assured that wheat will be procured from every eligible farmer without any difficulty.

“We are ensuring that wheat procurement from every farmer is completed smoothly, and no eligible farmer is left out of the process,” he said.

The review also covered issues related to farmers engaged in lease-based cultivation, locally known as ‘kauli’ farming. He said such farmers will also be eligible for procurement if proper verification of land ownership and lease documents is completed.

To address remaining complaints, the administration has set up a control room at the district Collectorate. This will help farmers report issues related to verification, slot booking and documentation, and have them resolved quickly.

Another issue discussed was the availability of gunny bags used for wheat storage and transport. Officials said supply has now improved and sufficient stock is available for the coming days, with continuous replenishment being ensured.

Officials said this was the third review meeting on wheat procurement held by the Union Minister, after similar reviews in Raisen and Bhopal, and that regular monitoring has helped improve coordination and speed up the process across the region.

–IANS

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