For the first time, farmers of Punjab have started receiving payments directly into their bank accounts against sale of their wheat crop to the Government of India. About Rs 8,180 crore has already been transferred directly into Punjab farmers' account, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said.
As per the ministry, in the ongoing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22, the Government of India continues to procure Rabi crops at MSP from farmers as per existing Price Support Scheme.
Wheat procurement is going on at a brisk pace in the procuring States and UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other States with the purchase of over 222.33 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) up to April 25, 2021 against 77.57 LMT during the corresponding period of last year, it said.
The ministry further informed that out of the total purchase of 222.33 LMT, a major contribution has been made by Punjab- 84.15 LMT (37.8 per cent), Haryana- 71.76 LMT (32.27 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh -51.57 LMT (23.2 per cent) of total procurement up to April 25, 2021.
About 21.17 Lakh Wheat farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing RMS procurement Operations with an MSP value of about Rs. 43,912 Crore, it said.
The ministry stated that up to April 25, 2021, about Rs 8,180 crore in Punjab and about Rs 4,668 crore in Haryana has been transferred directly into farmers' account.
This year, a new chapter has been added in the history of public procurement when Haryana and Punjab also switched from indirect payment of MSP to direct online transfer of benefits to farmers' bank account by all the procuring agencies as per direction of GOI, which is being rejoiced by the farmers of Punjab/Haryana as for the first time they are receiving direct benefits against the sale of their hard toiled crops without any delay and cuts under "One Nation, One MSP, One DBT", said the ministry.
( With inputs from ANI )
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