Bhopal, May 24: Madhya Pradesh has achieved a remarkable milestone in wheat procurement this season, surpassing 10 million metric tons. This makes the state the second-largest wheat procurer in India, following Punjab. The state government announced this achievement in a statement released on Saturday.
According to officials, a record 1.31 million farmers have sold wheat at the minimum support price (MSP) this year. This positions Madhya Pradesh among the top states benefiting farmers through the support price scheme.
So far, the government has directly transferred over ₹20,680 crore into farmers’ bank accounts. Farmers are receiving ₹2,625 per quintal, which includes the central government‘s MSP of ₹2,585 and an additional ₹40 per quintal bonus from the Madhya Pradesh government.
Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Minister Govind Singh Rajput credited Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for this achievement, highlighting his proactive approach and continuous monitoring. He noted that this is the largest MSP wheat procurement in the last decade, excluding the COVID-19 period.
Initially, the wheat procurement target was set at 7.8 million metric tons. However, due to effective monitoring and efforts by the state government, the central government increased this target to 10 million metric tons.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has been closely overseeing the procurement process, conducting surprise inspections at various centers to assess weighing systems, availability of gunny bags, and essential facilities for farmers. During these visits, he has engaged directly with farmers to understand the payment process and any issues they face.
To provide relief to farmers, the Chief Minister has extended the final date for procurement for those who have booked slots until May 28. The government has also increased the number of weighing scales at each center from four to six to streamline the procurement process. District administrations have been granted the authority to set up additional scales if necessary.
Additionally, the time for issuing weighing slips has been extended until 10 PM, and the issuance of payment vouchers has been extended until midnight. The procurement process will continue six days a week for the convenience of farmers.
The government assures that all necessary facilities, including gunny bags, weighing scales, labor, computers, quality testing equipment, and cleanliness measures, are available at all procurement centers.
Leave a Comment