Farmers in Punjab, for the first time, have started receiving wheat MSP payment directly in their bank accounts and about Rs 8,180 crore has been transferred this year so far, the Union Food Ministry said on Monday. This year, a new chapter has been added in the history of public procurement as Punjab and Haryana have also switched from indirect payment of minimum support price (MSP) to direct bank transfer of the payment to farmers, it said. Currently, wheat procurement is in full swing in Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
“About Rs 8,180 crore has already been transferred directly into Punjab farmers’ account,” the ministry said in a statement. About 84.15 lakh tonne of wheat has been procured from Punjab so far in the ongoing 2021-22 rabi marketing season (April-March), it said. In Haryana also, the MSP payment is being paid directly into the bank accounts of farmers. So far, Rs 4,668 crore has been transferred, it added. About 71.76 lakh tonne of wheat has been procured from Haryana. Procurement of wheat is being undertaken by central nodal agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies.
According to the latest data, a total of 222.33 lakh tonne of wheat has been purchased up to April 25 by these agencies across the country in the current marketing season. Punjab and Haryana are the top two states leading in wheat procurement so far. Third state is Madhya Pradesh where 51.57 lakh tonne has been purchased so far. “About 21.17 lakh wheat farmers have already benefited from the ongoing procurement operations with MSP value of about Rs 43,912 crore,” the ministry said.
“Direct payment of MSP is being rejoiced by the farmers of Punjab/Haryana as for the first time they are receiving direct benefits against sale of their hard toiled crops without any delay…,” it added.
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