28.80 Lakh Wheat farmers benefitted from ongoing RMS procurement Operations
New Delhi, 3 May (HS): In the ongoing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2021-22, the Government is continuing to procure Rabi crops at MSP from farmers as per existing Price Support Scheme. According to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, about 28.80 lakh wheat farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing RMS procurement Operations.
The Ministry official said, about Rs 17,495 Crore has already been transferred directly into Punjab farmers’ account during ongoing RMS 2021-22. This is for the first time that the farmers of Punjab have started receiving payments directly into their bank accounts against sale of their wheat crop.
Wheat procurement is going on at brisk pace in the procuring States/UTs of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other States with purchase of over 292.52 LMT upto 02nd May 2021. This is an increase of approx. 70 % against the last year corresponding purchase of 171.53 LMT, the official said.
Out of the total purchase of 292.52 LMT wheat, major contribution has been made by Punjab- 114.76 LMT (39.23%), Haryana- 80.55 LMT (27.53%) and Madhya Pradesh -73.76 LMT (25.21%) upto 02nd May 2021.
About Rs 17,495 crore in Punjab and around Rs 9268.24 crore in Haryana has been transferred directly into farmers’ account corresponding to procurement up to 30th April 2021.
The official said, 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 sale of their hard toiled crops without any delay and cuts under “One Nation, One MSP, One DBT”.
