DW BUREAU / Chandigarh On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in view of the early and immediate start of procurement season, Punjab Chief Secretary Vini Mahajan on Saturday reviewed the state's preparedness for Paddy procurement season, slated to start from September 27 to November 30, 2020. Presiding over a high-level review meeting of Paddy Procurement Committee for Kharif season-2020, Vini Mahajan directed the concerned departments to ensure the social distancing to avoid the spread of COVID-19 and that procurement be made in a staggered manner as farmers will enter the mandis with passes issued to them 72 hours advance and only one trolley will be allowed on one pass. Mandi yards have been marked with 30ft X 30Ft blocks to maintain the social distance. The Punjab Chief Secretary said that a total 4019 procurement centres have been set up, which include 152 main yards, 283 sub-yards, 1436 purchase centres, 524 temporary yards and 1624 mills. She also directed the Punjab Mandi Board and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department to explore possibilities to increase the number of centres to over 4500 to ensure hassle-free, smooth and timely procurement of paddy crop. She stressed that alternative procurement centres should be identified to divert arrivals if any centre is sealed due to COVID-19. Directing the procurement agencies to ensure the lifting of procured paddy within 48 hours of weighment, the Chief Secretary said that Deputy Commissioners will be overall in-charge of Procurement Operations and Mandi Board will start issuing of passes from September 29, 2020. Check-points would be set up and only one farmer or representative with valid pass to be allowed to enter mandis and a person showing dry cough/respiratory symptoms and fever must not be allowed at these check-points. She instructed the Mandi Board to make arrangements for 50,000 tarpaulins to save the grain in case of rain. The Chief Secretary said that Punjab Mandi Board solicited the services of 3195 Guardians of Governance (GoGs) in this procurement season. The GoGs would monitor and enforce safety and sanitization protocols, with special focus on social distancing and maintain a hygienic environment in all the mandis. Urging the farmers to bring the ripen and dry crop to mandis for smooth and hassle-free procurement, the Chief Secretary asked the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that combine harvesters are sanitized. (editor@dailyworld.in)