Fatehgarh Sahib September 17:
Claiming that they faced political pressure during procurement seasons, officials of various procurement agencies demanded that their inspectors be extended security cover during the approaching paddy procurement season.
Akshar Kumar, general secretary of the Food Grains Agencies Coordination Committee and state president of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) said political leaders, senior government functionaries and deputy commissioners forced inspectors of procurement agencies to lift produce from the grain markets instantly.
“This is done to express solidarity with farmers, even if the produce does not match the set standards of procurement,” he said. Officials of procurement agencies of Punjab like PUNGRAIN, MARKFED, PSWC, Punsup and the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC) said double standards of the government were the main reason behind rotting of tonnes of wheat and paddy in the state.
Baljit Gill, state president of the PAFC, Vidhu Shekhar Bhardwaj of Punsup and procurement inspectors of other agencies lamented that just one inspector was deployed to take care of procurement at more than three grain markets. “As one inspector cannot effectively keep a check on the quality or quantity of foodgrains lying in more than two markets, standards are set aside and only lifting is done, without looking into the quality of foodgrains,” said Devinder Singh Suri, Inspector, Procurement and Storage.
Inspectors alleged that officials of procurement agencies were forced to lift foodgrains by every means. Besides using political influence, officials go to the extent of threatening procurement inspectors with dire consequences. An inspector was even brutally beaten up by some unscrupulous elements near Jalandhar last year. They pointed out that wheat or paddy so lifted from the market was generally refused by the Central agencies and ultimately left to rot in open godowns.
Expressing concern over the alarming situation of rotten wheat and paddy due to chaos during the procurement season, Balvir Singh Rajewal, state president of the BKU (Rajewal), admitted that procurement agencies were forced to lift poor quality foodgrains due to political interference. Similar chaos was also likely to be witnessed during the coming paddy procurement season, he added. Since October 15 to November 22 was ideal period to sow wheat, farmers would try their best to sell off their entire paddy lot before that. “Paddy procurement is likely to begin after the first week of October. Farmers are trying their best to sell off their entire stock by hook or crook.
Procurement is supported by government that send secretaries, deputy commissioner and other officials to ensure immediate lifting of stock in the name of smooth lifting,” said Rajewal. This year, there was even a greater possibility of paddy with high moisture content being dumped into the markets due to late arrival. “Despite this, the state government would order immediate lifting of paddy, which the Central agencies will ultimately not accept,” said another inspector.
Claiming that they faced political pressure during procurement seasons, officials of various procurement agencies demanded that their inspectors be extended security cover during the approaching paddy procurement season.
Akshar Kumar, general secretary of the Food Grains Agencies Coordination Committee and state president of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC) said political leaders, senior government functionaries and deputy commissioners forced inspectors of procurement agencies to lift produce from the grain markets instantly.
“This is done to express solidarity with farmers, even if the produce does not match the set standards of procurement,” he said. Officials of procurement agencies of Punjab like PUNGRAIN, MARKFED, PSWC, Punsup and the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation (PAFC) said double standards of the government were the main reason behind rotting of tonnes of wheat and paddy in the state.
Baljit Gill, state president of the PAFC, Vidhu Shekhar Bhardwaj of Punsup and procurement inspectors of other agencies lamented that just one inspector was deployed to take care of procurement at more than three grain markets. “As one inspector cannot effectively keep a check on the quality or quantity of foodgrains lying in more than two markets, standards are set aside and only lifting is done, without looking into the quality of foodgrains,” said Devinder Singh Suri, Inspector, Procurement and Storage.
Inspectors alleged that officials of procurement agencies were forced to lift foodgrains by every means. Besides using political influence, officials go to the extent of threatening procurement inspectors with dire consequences. An inspector was even brutally beaten up by some unscrupulous elements near Jalandhar last year. They pointed out that wheat or paddy so lifted from the market was generally refused by the Central agencies and ultimately left to rot in open godowns.
Expressing concern over the alarming situation of rotten wheat and paddy due to chaos during the procurement season, Balvir Singh Rajewal, state president of the BKU (Rajewal), admitted that procurement agencies were forced to lift poor quality foodgrains due to political interference. Similar chaos was also likely to be witnessed during the coming paddy procurement season, he added. Since October 15 to November 22 was ideal period to sow wheat, farmers would try their best to sell off their entire paddy lot before that. “Paddy procurement is likely to begin after the first week of October. Farmers are trying their best to sell off their entire stock by hook or crook.
Procurement is supported by government that send secretaries, deputy commissioner and other officials to ensure immediate lifting of stock in the name of smooth lifting,” said Rajewal. This year, there was even a greater possibility of paddy with high moisture content being dumped into the markets due to late arrival. “Despite this, the state government would order immediate lifting of paddy, which the Central agencies will ultimately not accept,” said another inspector.
