Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): CM Mohan Yadav is expected to conduct surprise inspections at various procurement centers across the state in the coming days.
The move aims to ensure smooth procurement operations, verify arrangements, and gather direct feedback from farmers regarding facilities and transparency.
According to officials, Yadav's helicopter may land “anywhere, anytime” to review ground realities. He will interact with farmers to gather feedback regarding the arrangements in place. CM is also expected to verify whether farmers are receiving all the facilities and amenities that the government and administration are mandated to provide as per official directives.
Enhanced facilities at procurement centres
Arrangements have been made at the procurement centres to ensure the convenience of farmers, including access to drinking water, shaded seating areas, and public amenities.
To ensure that farmers face no difficulties in selling their wheat at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and do not have to endure long waits to sell their produce, they have been granted the flexibility to sell their harvest at any designated procurement centre within their district.
To minimise waiting times for wheat weighing, the number of weighing scales at procurement centres has been increased to six. Furthermore, districts have now been empowered to install additional weighing scales if the need arises.
Relaxations have been granted regarding the FAQ (Fair Average Quality) norms for wheat procurement. The permissible limit for wheat lacking luster (luster-loss) has been raised to 50%. The limit for shrivelled grains has been increased from 6 % to 10%, and the limit for damaged grains has been raised to 6%.
Daily procurement capacity has also been significantly raised—from 1,000 quintals to 2,250 quintals per centre—with flexibility to extend it up to 3,000 quintals based on local demand.
Relaxation in quality norms
In a major relief to farmers, the government has relaxed Fair Average Quality (FAQ) norms. The permissible limit for luster-loss in wheat has been increased to 50%, shriveled grains to 10% (from 6%), and damaged grains to 6%. These changes are intended to ensure that more farmers can sell their produce without rejection due to minor quality issues.
Logistics and operational support
Procurement centres are being equipped with essential resources such as gunny bags, weighing machines, porters, sewing machines, computers, internet connectivity, procurement coupons, and quality testing tools. Cleaning aids like fans and sieves are also being provided to maintain grain quality.
MSP and farmer outreach
Wheat is being procured at ₹2,625 per quintal, which includes the MSP of ₹2,585 and a ₹40 state bonus. To improve awareness, the Department of Public Relations has displayed posters and banners at procurement centres, informing farmers about government initiatives and available facilities.
