End procurement 18 days early, Punjab urges Centre

The Punjab Government has urged the Centre to curtail the procurement process by 18 days. The purchase of wheat in the state will now end on May 13, instead of May 31.

This rescheduling is being requested in the wake of the rising Covid-19 cases in the state. A letter sent today by the Secretary, Food and Supplies, to the Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, said: “... as the number of Covid positive cases is showing an increasing trend in the state, there is a need to consolidate the procurement operations...”

The state had set up additional 1,600 purchase centres this year in the wake of the second wave. To date, 129.35 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been procured, against the target of 130 LMT.