NewZNew (Chandigarh) : The Punjab government today released an amount of Rs. 1400 crore to about 20,000 to artiyas against the purchase of their crop by different procurement agencies during the ongoing paddy procurement in the state. The payment has been made regularly made after getting the second installment of the cash credit limit (CCL) of Rs.10, 451 crore released recently by the central government to Punjab for the procurement of paddy. Earlier on Saturday, an amount of more than 3100 crore released to 25000 artiyas. The payments have been made in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Government of India.
Disclosing this here today an official spokesman of the government said that 109, 83,223 M tonne of paddy has been procured till last evening. Out of the total paddy procured, 108, 02,213 (98. 4%)M tonnes was procured by the government agencies and private agencies procured 1, 81,010 M tonnes (1.6%). Out of the government agencies, PUNGRAIN procured 33,99,049 M tonnes(31.5%), MARKFED procured 25,14,241 M tonnes (23.3%), PUNSUP 24,22,997 M tonnes (22.4%), PSWC 10,58,827 (9.8%) and PAFC 11,38,671 M tonnes(10.5%). The central government agency FCI could procure 2, 68,428 M tonnes (2.5%) of paddy till last evening.
Meanwhile district Ludhiana took a lead by procuring 13,97,731 M tonnes of paddy till last evening whereas, Sangrur and Faridkot secured second and third positions by procuring 13,41,827 and 10.95,934 M tonnes of paddy respectively.
