Chandigarh, April 11 (IANS) As the wheat arrivals surge across agrarian state Punjab, the total purchase of wheat has created a record in five years, officials said on Monday.
Government agencies have procured 4.3 lakh metric tons of wheat till April 10, against the earlier highest peak of 38,019 metric tons in 2018.
An official told IANS this year the government has ensured that minimum support price (MSP) payments of Rs 138 crore transferred directly into bank accounts of farmers, whereas the earlier high was Rs 6.5 crore in year 2017.
Terming the record-breaking figures a result of the good arrangements, he said the state government was committed to welfare of the farmers and would continue to take all possible steps to facilitate them.
The Central government has fixed the minimum support price of wheat at Rs 2,015 per quintal.
The government aims to purchase 132 lakh tonnes of wheat this season. The procurement of wheat, which began on April 1, will continue till May 31.
Commuters in the national capital may get relaxation from Odd-Even as the Delhi government plans to lift restrictions on vehicles on November 11-12 during the celebration of 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
Fun-loving veteran India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has compared Jasprit Bumrah with late Bollywood actor Dev Anand after the ace pacer posted a picture of him in casual-formals earlier in the week.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first 'jatha' (group of devotees) visiting Kartarpur Sahib from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur after inauguration of the Kartarpur Corridor on Saturday.
At a three-hour-long hearing, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked UP, Haryana and Punjab governments to provide Rs 100 per quintal assistance within seven days to small and marginal farmers to help them from burning stubble to clear fields.
Punjab will organise a grand multi-media light and sound show at historical Sultanpur Lodhi city to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh master.
Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said on Monday that a permanent long term solution will be found for the issue of air pollution in Delhi and neighbouring states.
