Spokesman News Service: Chandigarh, November 9: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has written to Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan seeking driage @ 2% instead of 1% of Minimum Support Price (MSP) so as to ensure hassle-free and uninterrupted procurement for the remaining Kharif Season.

In his letter to Paswan, the Chief Minister pointed out that such relaxation was warranted primarily on account of the excessive/abnormal/untimely rain and hailstorm that occurred immediately before harvesting, which had adversely impacted the out-turn ratio, thus causing problems in procuring paddy due to the relatively high-moisture content.

Ram Vilas Paswan

The Chief Minister further apprised Paswan that higher moisture content in paddy arrivals in several mandis, coupled with dip in temperature due to unusual climatic conditions this year, had led to unrest amongst the millers and the farmers, which was hampering the paddy purchase operations.

Captain Amarinder Singh also informed the Union Minister that various procurement agencies across the state had so far procured 130 Lac MTs of paddy during the current Kharif Marketing Season 2018-19, and requested him to issue necessary guidelines in this regard at the earliest, so as to ensure smooth procurement operations for paddy during the remainder of the Kharif Season.