Chandigarh, Oct 25 (NationPress) Following the procurement of 52.18 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini declared on Saturday that the state government remains devoted to acquiring every grain of crops.

"Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both the Central and state governments are actively working for the benefit of farmers. The procurement of paddy and bajra is currently in progress in the state," he stated.

He warned that anyone attempting to defraud the government during this procurement process will face severe consequences.

During a high-level review meeting aimed at ensuring transparency and effective operations in the procurement of paddy and bajra, the Chief Minister stated that all relevant officers, including Deputy Commissioners and Police Superintendents, participated virtually.

The meeting focused on reviewing the arrangements for procurement, the status of mandis, farmers' grievances, and the e-procurement system.

CM Saini reiterated that the government will not compromise on farmers' interests.

He directed that any employees or officers found to have made irregular entries in the e-procurement portal should be suspended immediately.

The Chief Minister underscored the government's determination to safeguard farmers' incomes and ensure the purchase of every grain they produce.

Officials reported that paddy procurement commenced on October 22, and operations in most markets are running smoothly. To date, procurement from 2.66 lakh farmers has led to the purchase of approximately 52.18 lakh metric tonnes of paddy.

Farmers have received around Rs 10,204.98 crore in their accounts. The procurement of bajra includes 291.10 metric tonnes by state agencies and 3.99 lakh metric tonnes by private traders.

Officials have noted complaints regarding paddy sourced from other states and irregularities in gate pass scanning, prompting the government to adopt a strict stance.

Physical verifications are being conducted for rice mills located in Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, and Kaithal, where paddy has been designated for milling.

To thwart the illegal influx of paddy from other states, police checkpoints have been established in all border districts.

The Chief Minister instructed district administration officers to consistently visit mandis and engage with farmers. Additionally, rice mills allocated paddy should undergo periodic physical verification.