category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday asked the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) to ensure a smooth and hassle process of procurement of the paddy crop in the mandis along with ensuring its prompt lifting in their respective districts. Presiding over a meeting to review the lifting and procurement of grains here today at Punjab Bhawan, the Chief Minister categorically said that any sort of laxity in performing this duty was totally unwarranted and undesirable. He said that the produce of farmers need to be purchased and lifted at the earliest to facilitate them. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is firmly committed to the smooth and hassle free procurement of paddy and officers are duty-bound to make every effort to ensure that the government s decision is duly implemented. The Chief Minister also asked the Deputy Commissioners to visit 7-8 mandis daily to take stock of the entire operations at ground level. He said that the officers must undertake regular visits in the grain markets under their jurisdiction and submit the daily report for regular monitoring. Bhagwant Singh Mann also asked them to minutely observe the procurement operations so as to ensure that the stocks of grains do not pile up in the market and its prompt lifting was ensured at the earliest. The Chief Minister also asked the officers officials to keep him updated regarding the procurement operations by submitting the daily report of arrival, purchase and payment of paddy crop to him personally. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has already made elaborate arrangements to ensure that the harvest of farmers was lifted from the grain markets in a smooth, timely and hassle free manner. He reiterated the firm commitment of the state government to ensure that farmers do not face any sort of problem while selling their produce. The Chief Minister said that for the first time in history of the state lifting has started from the very first day which itself is a record adding that the procurement, lifting and payment will be done on the same day with digitization of the entire process. Bhagwant Singh Mann asked the Deputy Commissioners that strict adherence to the prescribed norms of timely payment to the farmers should be ensured. He further said that 1854 Purchase Centers have been notified by the Punjab Mandi Board and have been allotted amongst the government procurement agencies. The Chief Minister said that the technique of biometric authentication has been introduced to safeguard the interests of farmers bringing the grains to Mandis. He said that in order to bring transparency in lifting of the grains online gate passes will be issued to the vehicles. Bhagwant Singh Mann asked all the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that farmers do not face any sort of problem during the entire procurement operations. Dwelling on another agenda, the Chief Minister asked the DCs to make the farmers aware about the harmful effects of paddy straw burning. He said that the paddy straw burning must be checked as it poses grave danger to atmosphere and human life. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as compared to last year 23,000 more machines have been given and now the DCs must ensure strict monitoring to check the menace of straw burning for next few days. The Chief Minister said that the state government has already started the process of distribution of flood compensation to the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the masses will be compensated for damage of every single penny. He informed that the state government has ample fund in State Disaster Fund to compensate the damage caused by floods. (editor dailyworld.in)