PUNJAB CRACKS DOWN ON ILLEGAL INTER-STATE PADDY TRANSPORTATION; KOTKAPURA SHELLER OWNER AMONG 6 BOOKED
• Not a single grain of paddy from outside the state be permitted in Punjab, Gurmeet Khudian to DMOs
Chandigarh, October 13 (WISHAVWARTA):- Coming down heavily on illicit inter-state paddy transportation, Punjab Government-led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann has initiated a stringent action with the registration of an FIR at Kotkapura police station in Faridkot district, informed S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Punjab.
S. Khudian said that the FIR No. 0184, has been registered on the complaint of the local MARKFED Branch Manager under sections 318(4) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 against a owner of two Rice Mills situated at village Hari Nau of Kotkapura, and five others from Rajasthan. The police has also recovered four tractor-trailers bearing Rajasthan-registration, loaded with illegal paddy.
In response to this incident, S. Khudian, along Punjab Mandi Board Chairman S. Harchand Singh Barsat, today held a crucial meeting with all District Mandi Officers (DMOs) and Chief Agriculture Officers (CAOs) and issued stern directives to them, particularly in border districts, mandating that not a single grain of paddy from outside the state be permitted for sale in Punjab.
Punjab Agriculture Minister said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government maintains zero-tolerance stance against the sale of out-of-state paddy in Punjab to protect the state’s agricultural market and ensure the interests of local farmers are safeguarded against such malpractices.
While reviewing the paddy procurement operations, S. Gurmeet Singh Khudian ordered all Market Committee Secretaries and DMOs to ensure moisture checks using PAU-calibrated meters before dispatching paddy to shellers to make sure fair pricing for farmers and uphold the quality of Punjab’s grain.
Administrative Secretary Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Dr. Basant Garg directed all the Chief Agriculture Officers to further intensify sensitisation campaign, educating farmers against the harmful impacts of stubble burning and impressed upon them to manage paddy straw by using in-situ and ex-situ methods.
Secretary Punjab Mandi Board Mr. Ramvir apprised the Cabinet Minister that all the arrangements have been well in place across grain market in the state so that farmers don’t have to face any problem in selling their produce. He further informed that Punjab Mandi Board has set up special Nakas to prevent unauthorised transportation of paddy.
