Rs. 22,000 crore to be spent on wheat procurement this year

Bhopal: Arrangements of Rs. 22 thousand crore are being made for procurement of wheat on support price during the year 2013-14 in Madhya Pradesh. Adequate funds have been mobilised to ensure that farmers do not face any difficulty in receiving payments against their produce. A provision of Rs. 1050 crore has been made for bonus alone in view of estimated target of procurement of 110 metric tonnes of wheat this year. So far, one lakh 9 thousand metric tonnes of wheat has been procured in four divisions during the first phase of procurement.
In the state, 110 metric tonnes of wheat is estimated to be procured during current Rabi season. Procurement will be made at 2847 procurement centres in the state, which is 531 more than last year. Under current Rabi marketing year, entire procurement process has been computerised. Efforts have been made to further streamline SMS alert system for inviting farmers to procurement centres to ensure smooth transport arrangements. So far, about 14 lakh 33 thousand farmers have got themselves registered this year.
Work of providing gunny bags has been done on a war-footing in view of estimates of massive procurement so that gunny bags remain available at procurement centres in adequate quantity. So far, 5 lakh bales of gunny bags have been received, which are adequate for procurement of 110 metric tonnes. It has been ensured that there is no problem like shortage of gunny bags this year.
Districts where massive wheat procurement is done have been divided into sectors for the purpose of better transportation and monitoring. State Civil Supplies Corporation has been appointed procurement agency for 23 districts and MARKFED for 27 districts. The corporation has set up 73 sectors in 23 districts and MARKFED 45 sectors in 27 districts. Separate transporters have been appointed in each sector. Work of maximum two sectors has been entrusted to one transporter. One transporter each has been appointed for railway rake points.
Special provisions have been made in tenders to ensure appointment of more efficient and experienced transporters. Under the provisions, fitness certificates, one-year work experience and bank solvency upto Rs.10 lakh for each work have been made mandatory. Besides, it has also been made mandatory to provide lists of trucks to be deployed at the time of agreement and Rs. 2 per quintal per day fine if the consignment is delayed. Toll-free number 155343 and 18002335343 have been installed at the government level for disposal of problems cropping up during procurement.