CM Bhagwant Singh Mann : Presides over a review meeting of the Food and Civil Supplies Department.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday directed the Department of Food & Civil Supplies to accelerate the process of clearing and transporting food grain stocks from the state. This initiative aims to prevent storage issues in the upcoming seasons and ensure a smooth and hassle-free procurement process.
Presiding over a high-level meeting of the Food and Civil Supplies Department at his official residence, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann highlighted that the persistent storage shortage in the previous season had negatively impacted the procurement and lifting of grains from mandis. He noted that the state government is already working on building new covered godowns to accommodate 60 Lakh Metric Tons of grain in the coming months. Emphasizing Punjab’s role in national food security, Mann reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that farmers do not face any difficulties in selling their produce during the procurement season.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stressed the importance of creating adequate storage capacity to avoid inconvenience to farmers. He stated that the Government of India is being urged to expedite the movement of wheat and rice from Punjab to free up storage space for the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) as well as the upcoming Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2025-26. During KMS 2024-25, a total of 171.86 LMT of paddy was stored in the state, with 116.30 LMT of rice being deliverable. So far, 33.74 LMT (29.02%) has been delivered, leaving 82.53 LMT to be dispatched by March 31, 2025. In February, Punjab requested 1,635 rice specials, but FCI has planned only 197, of which just 109 have been provided.
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann assured that these concerns would be raised with the Union government to ensure timely resolution in the national interest. He mentioned that storage shortfalls have been identified only in Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Patiala, and Moga, where district officials and field staff are working on alternative solutions. Reiterating the state government’s commitment, Mann emphasized that all necessary measures would be taken to facilitate seamless procurement and lifting of grains in future seasons.
