Punjab CM to Meet Union Minister Over Rice Millers'' Issues

Chandigarh, Oct 12 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said he will meet Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on October 14 to flag the demands of protesting rice millers and 'arthiyas'.

Chairing a meeting to review the ongoing procurement of paddy, the chief minister said the demands of the rice millers and 'arthiyas' (commission agents) are genuine, and the Union government must give a sympathetic view to it.

During a telephonic conversation with Joshi, he apprised him of the gravity of the situation and sought time from him to have detailed deliberations over the matter.

Mann said he would call on the Union minister in the national capital on Monday and raise the issues of millers and 'arthiyas'.

While 'arthiyas' are pressing for a raise in their commission, the state rice millers have raked up the issue of space crunch for storing the fresh paddy crop and want the Centre to liquidate the existing wheat and paddy stock to create sufficient space.

Mann took stock of the ongoing procurement and lifting of grains in 'mandis', along with the payment being made to farmers.

He asked the officers to ensure that every single grain of paddy was procured and lifted.

Mann said the state government is committed to procuring and lifting every single grain of paddy from the mandis.

So far 4.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has arrived in grain markets, and a payment worth Rs 573.55 crore has been made to farmers, he added.

The chief minister also said he is personally monitoring the entire procurement process to ensure that farmers do not face any sort of inconvenience.

Meanwhile, farmer body Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) on Saturday announced to sit on rail tracks in the state on Sunday to protest the alleged tardy paddy procurement in the state.

BKU (Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the protest will be held from 12 to 3 pm.

Notably, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Friday announced a statewide road blockade in Punjab on Sunday from 12 pm to 3 pm against the slow paddy procurement.

The farmers' body was also supported by the rice millers and arthiyas in their protest call.