Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met with Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi to focus on maximizing wheat procurement in Rajasthan and ensuring farmers’ interests are protected. Rajasthan’s Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Sumit Godara and Minister for Cooperatives Gautam Dak also attended the meeting.
The discussion revolved around securing optimal returns for farmers without any procurement hassles. Birla highlighted concerns about potential crop damage due to unpredictable weather conditions, emphasizing the need for a faster and more efficient procurement process to minimize losses for farmers.
Birla instructed agencies like the Food Corporation of India (FCI), RAJFED, and NAFED to set up more procurement centers across the state and increase the number of weighing scales at these sites. The goal is to expedite procurement, reduce farmers’ selling challenges, and cut down on transportation costs by locating centers closer to them.
The meeting noted that the Rajasthan government is offering a bonus of Rs 150 per quintal on wheat this year, in addition to the Minimum Support Price (MSP), totaling Rs 2,735 per quintal for farmers. Last year, the state procured around 21.62 lakh metric tonnes of wheat, with expectations of surpassing that amount this year due to increased participation and higher production levels.
