Chandigarh, October 17 - Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal said that all necessary arrangements have been made by the State Government so as to ensure that the procurement process of Kharif crops is done in a smooth and systematic manner. For the first time, government procurement of maize is being done at the Minimum Support Price. Earlier, the purchase of millet was also done at the Minimum Support Price. So far, Rs. 1000 crore have been released by the government as procurement payment for paddy and other crops, he said.

Addressing a press conference held at Haryana Niwas here today, the Chief Minister said that every single grain of farmers’ crops will be procured. The interests of the farmers of Haryana are paramount for the State Government and for this, procurement of the crops brought by the farmers of the State is being done in the state mandis on priority. Farmers of other states will have to get their crops registered before bringing it to the state mandis of Haryana, whether it is through Arhtiyas or at their own level, said the Chief Minister.

He said that the Punjab and Rajasthan governments should also procure crops at the Minimum Support Price so that the farmers of these two states do not have to come to Haryana.

He said that arrangements have been made to make the payment of paddy procurement to the farmers within seven days. After the Form-I is generated and approved, payment is being made within three days.

Transport Minister, Mr. Mool Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Mr. Anurag Rastogi, and Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Mr. P. C. Meena and other officers were also present on this occasion.