Chandigarh, 27 September — Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday announced the appointment of senior officials in each district to address farmers’ concerns in grain markets, as the state continues paddy procurement for the current season.
“Paddy procurement is progressing smoothly across the state, thanks to electronic weighing machines installed in grain markets,” Saini said. He added that while moisture content in crops could temporarily halt procurement in some cases, the overall process would continue without major disruptions. “If moisture content is found in the crop, procurement may be halted temporarily,” he noted. Work is also underway to install digital weighing machines in mandis, a long-standing demand of farmers, he said.
Responding to former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s demand for a Rs 3,100 bonus for farmers, Saini remarked, “It’s the opposition’s job to make demands, but they should look at their own record when they were in power.” He pointed out that during Congress rule, farmers received heavy losses and were compensated with cheques worth just Rs 2, forcing many to open bank accounts with Rs 500 to receive payments.
Saini said that the current government has established an online portal to ensure fair and timely compensation for farmers. “Verification is underway for farmers who registered their crop damage on the e-Kshatipurti portal, and they will receive compensation soon,” he said. Comparing figures, he noted, “The Congress government provided Rs 1,157 crore in compensation over ten years, while the BJP government has already provided over Rs 1,550 crore in the last ten-and-a-half years.”
He further mentioned that district administrations have appointed nodal officers to supervise procurement, ensuring transparency and addressing farmer grievances effectively. “We are committed to making the procurement process smooth and ensuring farmers receive their due compensation,” Saini added.
