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.
Addressing the Indian diaspora at the UNESCO headquarters here, Modi said that his government was taking decisions in the spirit of "spasht niti, sahi disha (clear policy, right direction)".
With an aim to check the massive outflow of foreign portfolio investment since the Budget, the government on Friday withdrew the surcharge levied on them.
Shekhwat said Pakistan cannot interfere in a matter which is purely an internal issue of India. "The steps being taken by the government do not break any treaty," he said.
Sisters Rani (15) and Renu (13) grew up in Chautarva village in Bihar's West Champaran facing barbs from neighbours and relatives for being girls. Today, the teenagers run their home by repairing motor vehicles on the highway.
Sukhjinder Randhawa also said a Punjab government's delegation is awaiting the Centre's nod to visit Pakistan later this month to assess the progress of the Kartarpur Corridor project.
