Chandigarh, July 28
In an initiative aimed at safeguarding the interests of farmers, the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today approved the technology-driven “Punjab Custom Milling Policy for Kharif 2022-23”.
The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held here today.
The policy lays down the guidelines for procuring paddy by state agencies (Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup and PSWC) and getting it converted into custom milled rice and subsequently delivering the stock to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The 2022-23 kharif marketing season will begin on October 1, while the procurement will end on November 30.
To stop pilferage and smuggling of stored foodgrain, the government will electronically monitor the entire procurement operation through the Anaj Kharid portal, Vaahan application and a vehicle tracking system.
The policy stipulates that rice millers shall deliver custom milled rice by March 31.
The Cabinet also approved an action plan for Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for implementing the ‘Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme’ (RDSS). It will strengthen the distribution system, improve the operational efficiency and financial viability of PSPCL as well as quality and reliability of power supply to consumers, the government has said.
The action plan worth
Rs 25,237 crore includes works pertaining to the distribution infrastructure, metering and information technology.
To bring greater professional expertise towards building a citizen-centric and forward-looking governance eco-system, the Cabinet also gave its consent to ink an agreement with Nudge Life Skills Foundation (NLSF) for a period of 27 months.
It will help in providing feedback and support to the administrative departments, thereby enabling them to steer systems reforms through departmental or sub-departmental initiatives in areas of technological integration, process innovation, data management and collaborations.
The Council of Minister also gave an ex-facto approval to relax quality norms fixed by the Centre for the procurement of “moong”.
With this, state nodal agency Markfed will be able to procure more “moong” at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 7,225 per quintal.
This will provide financial assistance to farmers, who have sold or will sell their produce at rates below the MSP as their crop will not get covered even under relaxed specifications.
Farmers, whose produce did not meet the relaxed quality parameters and had to, therefore, sell it in the open market till July 31, 2022, will be paid a maximum of Rs 1,000 difference per quintal.
To reduce the risk of natural calamities by initiating mitigation measures, the Cabinet also gave nod to the State Disaster Mitigation Fund.
The Cabinet approved sending the case to the Centre seeking a special remission for convicts lodged in jails of Punjab to commemorate 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Teg Bahadur and ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
Other key decisions
- Rs 25,237 cr action plan for PSPCL to strengthen distribution system
- Consent for inking an agreement with NLSF to build citizen-centric eco-system
- Relaxation in quality norms for ‘moong’ procurement and financial assistance to farmers
- Consent to special remission for life convicts to commemorate 400th Parkash Purb of Guru Teg Bahadur and ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’
Punjab Cabinet nod to tech-driven rice milling policy
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