Chandigarh: Responding to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s persistent efforts, the central government on Thursday sanctioned Cash Credit Limit (CCL) amount of Rs. 28,262.84 crore for procurement of paddy in the Kharif marketing season 2017-18.

Disclosing this here, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the chief minister’s personal intervention in the matter facilitated the release of the CCL, required to ensure timely payment to farmers against their crop. Captain Amarinder has been taking up the issue with union agriculture and finance ministers on a regular basis and had met both the ministers again this week in New Delhi to press for Punjab’s case, in the interest of the farmers.

The amount has been sanctioned for procurement of paddy in the current marketing season, which will last till the end of October, said the spokesperson.

Captain Amarinder Singh has directed all the state procurement agencies to take immediate steps to ensure timely payment to the farmers for their produce. The chief minister has reiterated his government’s commitment to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement from the farmers at the mandis.