œ OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL The process of procurement of wheat on support price in the state has reached its peak. As a result, 2.77 lakh farmers have sold 25 lakh metric tonnes of wheat during one month after start of the procurement process f
rom March 15. Rs. 3,444 crore has been deposited in the bank accounts of farmers against wheat procured from them.
Following efforts for making this process more effective with the use of e- procurement and adopting various other measures, Madhya Pradesh is heading towards scripting a record in the procurement of Wheat.
If compared with figures of last five years, procurement in the mid- season this year so far has exceeded the total procurement of a year except for two years.
Total 57 thousand mtric tonnes of wheat was procured in the year 2007- 08, 24 lakh metric tonnes in 2008- 09, 19 lakh Metric tonnes in 2009- 10, 35 lakh metric tonnes in 2010- 11 and total 49 lakh metric tonnes of wheat was procured in the year 2011- 12.
This year, 25 lakh metric tonnes of wheat has been procured during less than half of the season.
The State Government has been increasing the quantum of total procurement during the last five years. Objective of the government is to benefit maximum number of farmers and save them from exploitation at the hands of middlemen. At present, the State Government is itself making payment of support price and bonus to farmers.
The funds against support price from the Union Government will be reimbursed after a long time.
Presently, the State Government is making this payment by obtaining loan from Reserve Bank of India.
Similarly, the State Government has also to pay the amount of Rs. 100 per quintal bonus to farmers from its own exchequer.
25 lakh MTs bought from 2.77 lakh farmers; Rs 3444cr paid
