Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said any arm-twisting or blackmailing tactics aimed at jeopardising the smooth procurement of wheat would not be tolerated, and exemplary action would be taken against such forces.Responding to the strike by arhtiyas (commission agents) in the state to press for their demands, Mann said, “Their demands concern the Centre and not the state govt. But if someone tries to blackmail, strict action will be taken. I have raised the issue repeatedly with the Centre and asked it to have a dialogue with them.”“The arhtiyas draw comparisons with the charges paid in Haryana, but they don’t realise that Punjab procures 125 LMT wheat. The volume of the stocks is much more in Punjab. The state govt is committed to smooth and hassle-free procurement and lifting of the wheat crop, and elaborate arrangements have already been made,” he added.The CM, however, said he would meet representatives of the arhtiyas to hear their concerns, while making it clear that no decisions would be taken under pressure.Wheat procurement formally kicked off in the state on Wednesday amid disruptions in the grain markets (mandis) due to an indefinite strike launched by the arhtiyas. They are demanding restoration percentage-based commission of 2.5%, which agents argue is legally mandated under the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets (APMC) Act but was replaced by the Centre with a fixed flat rate in 2020.While the Centre recently increased the commission from Rs 46 to Rs 50.75 per quintal, the arhtiyas have rejected this as insufficient, noting that at the current minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,585, a 2.5% cut would amount to roughly Rs 64.62 per quintal.The arhtiyas cite higher commission rates in neighbouring Haryana as proof of their “legitimate rights”, leaving the procurement of an estimated 122 lakh metric tonnes of wheat in limbo.MSID:: 129952778 413 |
