CM Orders Swift Movement of Food Grains to Prevent Storage Crisis
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann instructed the Food & Civil Supplies Department to speed up the movement of food grain stocks. He emphasized that this step will ensure smooth procurement and prevent storage issues in the coming seasons.
Storage Concerns and Government Action
Chairing a high-level review meeting, Mann highlighted the storage shortage faced in the previous season. He stated that grain lifting was delayed due to limited space. To address this, the government is constructing new covered godowns to store 60 lakh metric tons of grain in the coming months.
The Chief Minister stressed that Punjab plays a crucial role in national food security. The state government remains committed to ensuring hassle-free grain procurement so that farmers do not face difficulties in selling their produce.
Appeal for Faster Movement of Grains
Mann urged the Union government to expedite the movement of wheat and rice from Punjab. He pointed out that during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25, Punjab stored 171.86 LMT of paddy, with 116.30 LMT of rice deliverable. So far, only 33.74 LMT (29.02%) has been delivered, and 82.53 LMT must be moved by March 31, 2025.
He noted that Punjab had requested 1,635 rice specials for February, but the Food Corporation of India (FCI) planned only 197. Till now, only 109 have been provided.
Focus on Key Districts and Future Plans
The Chief Minister identified Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Patiala, and Moga as districts facing space shortages. He assured that district officials and field staff are working on alternative storage plans.
Mann reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring smooth grain procurement and lifting in the future. He stated that these issues would be raised with the Union government to find a timely resolution in the larger interest of farmers and national food security.
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