Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, on Monday, 21 September 2026, launched a sharp attack on both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government over their failure to clear wheat stocks that are occupying critical storage space across rice mills and mandi yards — with the paddy procurement season just days away.

With official procurement set to begin on 1 October and early paddy varieties already arriving in several mandis, Bajwa warned that the uncleared grain backlog could trigger severe congestion across Punjab's entire procurement infrastructure.

The Scale of the Backlog

Citing recent field reports, Bajwa said nearly 12 lakh metric tons (MT) of wheat is still lying in rice mills across Punjab. An additional 1.83 lakh MT of Central Pool wheat remains stranded in mandi yards, awaiting movement to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

'These figures expose the complete lack of preparedness of both the Punjab government and the Union government. Paddy procurement is just days away, yet vital storage space remains occupied by wheat stocks that should have been cleared and moved months ago,' Bajwa said.

Risk to Farmers and Grain Quality

Bajwa cautioned that the bottleneck could become especially severe once paddy arrivals gather momentum, as mills and mandis would simultaneously have to handle incoming crop while managing the uncleared wheat. 'If this bottleneck is not cleared immediately, farmers could be forced to wait for hours or even days to unload their paddy. Those who lack adequate storage at their farms will be especially vulnerable to distress sales. Prolonged delays can also create additional problems related to moisture and grain quality,' he said.

Notably, paddy is a moisture-sensitive crop and any prolonged exposure — whether in transit or in open mandi yards — can lead to significant quality degradation, directly cutting into farmer income.

A Foreseeable Failure, Says Bajwa

The Congress leader questioned why both governments had failed to act on a problem that was entirely predictable. 'This is not an unexpected crisis. Everyone knew that the paddy procurement season was approaching. The Punjab government and the Centre had months to plan the evacuation of wheat, arrange transportation and ensure adequate storage capacity. Yet, they failed to act until the crisis was staring them in the face,' he remarked.

Accusing the AAP government of prioritising publicity over administrative readiness, Bajwa said, 'Instead of ensuring that the foodgrain management system was ready for the next procurement season, the AAP government remained focused on publicity exercises and political theatrics. Now, Punjab's farmers are being left to bear the consequences of administrative failure.'

What Congress Is Demanding

Bajwa urged the Punjab government and the Centre to immediately coordinate the evacuation of wheat stocks from rice mills and mandi yards, accelerate their movement to designated storage facilities, and ensure sufficient procurement capacity is available before paddy arrivals intensify.

'Punjab's farmers should not be made to pay the price for the failure of two governments. The AAP government and the BJP-led Centre must stop passing the responsibility to each other and immediately clear the bottleneck. Farmers must have assured and hassle-free procurement when their crop reaches the mandis,' he added.

The AAP government and the Centre are yet to formally respond to Bajwa's allegations. With 1 October approaching, the coming days will be critical in determining whether the storage crunch is resolved before the main paddy flush arrives.