Wheat procurement in Punjab

Why in news?

Wheat procurement in Punjab is taking place despite the challenging circumstances during Covid-19.

Why this procurement is important?

• It is important because Punjab is the country’s highest contributor of wheat at over 46% of the central pool.
• Punjab has already procured three-quarters of its procurement target of 13.5 million tonnes for the national pool.

What is the challenge?

• Punjab needs a labour force of 3.5 lakh to 4 lakh.
• 90% of its usual labour force comes from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
• They were meant to have reached Punjab during the first week of April, ahead of the procurement season starting April 15.
• This did not happen once the lockdown was announced.

How were the labour arranged?

• Punjab used the networking skills of its 27,000 registered commission agents.
• Each of them engaged 15 to 20 workers, mostly people working in urban sectors such as construction, catering or as taxi drivers.
• These agents have provided them with masks, soap and sanitisers.
• They also arranged for accommodation of those who want to stay in the mandis.
• Also, each agent is responsible for 20 to 200 farmers, whose crop he sells, and coupons for entry in the mandis.

What was the restriction imposed?

• The government restricted the number of people in mandis by setting a target of 27 lakh coupons for farmers.
• A farmer can come to the mandi only when his/her turn arrives.
• Every day, 70,000 to 1 lakh coupons are being issued.
• The government has extended the procurement season by a month (April 15 to June 15), to prevent a rush in mandis.
• The procurement has been staggered at the rate of less than 7 lakh tonnes daily, even during the peak phase (April 20-May 1).
• In previous years, the peak days would see 9 to 11 lakh tonnes daily.

How the number of mandis was increased?

• The Food and Civil Supply Department along with the Punjab Mandi Board (PMB) have set up 3,447 wheat purchase centres.
• This is up from the existing 1,849 grain markets.
• This increase is achieved by converting the rice sale centres into wheat purchase centres.

What are the other measures?

• Designated trucks are doing transportation to godowns and storage units of the FCI (Food Corporation of India).
• Less than 5 lakh tonnes is being transported daily across the state.
• The government has loaded 25.77 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice on 1,031 special trains.
• PMB is preventing crowds in mandis by issuing the coupons in a staggered manner.
• It has set up a control room for enquiries and complaints.

Source: The Indian Express