DW BUREAU / Chandigarh In view of the impending paddy procurement season commencing from October 1, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday reviewed the arrangements aimed at hassle free and seamless procurement of paddy. "Every grain produced with the sweat and toil of the Punjabi farmer shall be purchased", he said while chairing a meeting. Emphasizing speedy purchase, the Chief Minister directed that purchase, lifting and payment should commence from the first day of procurement itself and warned of strict action if the farmer is put to any inconvenience. Presiding over a meeting of the officials of the Procurement Agencies, the Chief Minister directed the State Procurement Agencies and the FCI to be fully geared up for procurement of Paddy in the ensuing season. He expressed satisfaction that the State had already arranged sufficient Bardana for the season well in advance and directed it's optimal placement across the State in all Mandis. Herein it may be noted that the Mandi Board has already notified 1804 purchase centers across the State. Further, in order to avoid glut like situation in the mandis, temporary purchase centers are being identified for procurement of paddy. It was also decided in the meeting today that unlike previous years no temporary Mandi shall be established in any rice sheller in the State. The Chief Minister congratulated the Department for its transparent purchase policy that has ended the cartelisation in tenders for procurement of tarpaulins by facilitating new players resulting in a reduction in cost by more than 15%. The Chief Minister also directed the officials to develop a standard operation procedure for tackling situation in Mandis arising out of untimely rains and strictly mandated resumption of paddy operations within 24 hours of stoppage of rain. The Department apprised the CM that the land records in the State have been integrated with the Anaaj Kharid Portal and checks have been imposed on the purchase of paddy against each Khasra number based on the estimated productivity of the land. The data of e-Girdawri is also being integrated and shall be completed well before September 30, 2022 by the Punjab Mandi Board. In line with the Punjab Custom Milling Policy 2022-23 approved by Council of Ministers, the e-Verifications of Rice Mills are been carried out in all rice mills to ensure strict compliance of the policy guidelines. Consequently, a total of 3854 mills have been verified online till date. All the procedures regarding registrations, physical verification, delivery of rice to FCI and payments etc. have been switched to online mode and most of the procedures have been made faceless. It was further explained that for the first time the linking of Rice Mills with the Mandies is being done through an automated software based on Least Distance Principle, which will result in substantial savings for the State Government . The Chief Minister directed strict monitoring of the power consumption in each rice mill pursuant to the integration of Anaaj-Kharid portal with PSPCL portal. He further directed that the delivery of rice should be in accordance with the recorded electricity consumption so as to curb bogus purchases and recycling of PDS rice. (editor@dailyworld.in)