News Analysis India

Tag: Punjab and Haryana.

  • Centre allows 18 percent relaxation for shrivelled wheat from Punjab & Haryana; but procurement over

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The Centre has allowed relaxation in procurement norms for shrivelled wheat grains up to 18 per cent against the earlier specification of 6 per cent with any value cut for the central pool from both Punjab and Haryana.

    This, due to the abnormally high temperatures.

    A letter written on Friday by Vishwajeet Haldar, Deputy Commissioner (Storage and Research Division) in Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to Secretary Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Punjab and Additional Chief Secretary Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Haryana states, “I am directed to a DO received from Punjab and Haryana seeking relaxation in the uniform specification of wheat for Rabi marketing season 2022-’23 due to the extreme, sudden and unprecedented heatwave in the state. In this regard, it is to convey that the matter has been examined  and in order to reduce the hardship of the farmers and to avoid distress sale  of what the competent authority has decided to accord the request of the state.’’

    “Accordingly it has been decided to procure wheat from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh (Union Territory) with the following relaxations in the uniform specifications of wheat for the central pool procurement. The limit of shrivelled grain and broken grains of wheat in all districts of Punjab and Haryana including   Chandigarh (Union Territory) may be relaxed up to 18 per cent against the existing limit of 6 per cent under uniform specifications with any value cut,’’ reads the letter.

    It further states, “the wheat so procured shall be stacked and accounted for separately. The relaxation granted is subject to the condition that any financial or operational implications due to this relaxation shall be sole responsibility of the state government of Punjab and Haryana including Chandigarh (Union Territory). Any deterioration of wheat stock procured under the relaxed scheme during storage shall has to be the sole responsibility of state governments.’’

    But interestingly the procurement in both states is over. While the wheat procurement this year by government agencies in Punjab till yesterday has been 96.15 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) against the target of 132 LMT and private traders purchased 6.09 LMT.

    A few days ago the Centre had ordered another fresh sampling of the shrivelled grain, another factor for the low yield this year. Sources said the grain across has shrivelled by 10 to 20 per cent as per the assessment of five Central teams.

  • Rainfall in northern India, including Eastern UP, will get relief from severe heat

    new Delhi. Light rain is expected in northern India including Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. Weather forecaster SkyMate said on Friday that light rain may occur at some places in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, North Rajasthan, parts of Punjab, Haryana and Eastern Uttar Pradesh in the next 24 hours. According to SkyMate, moderate rainfall may occur on Konkan and Goa, Telangana, Central Maharashtra, northwest Madhya Pradesh, southeast Rajasthan, sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim. There is a possibility of moderate to moderate rainfall in coastal Karnataka, northern interior Karnataka, Kerala, Eastern Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Northeast India, Odisha and coastal Andhra Pradesh. SkyMate has said that Western disturbances have been made on Afghanistan and Central Pakistan.

    A cyclonic wind zone in northwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining Haryana remains. A trough line from this system is going to the sub-Himalayan West Bengal of Uttar Pradesh. The area of ​​cyclonic winds is in south Konkan and Goa. A trough line from Maharashtra to the Kerala coast is going on. The area of ​​a cyclonic wind is on the Bay of Bengal.

    According to SkyMate, heavy rainfall occurred in the sub-Himalayan West Bengal during the last 24 hours. Mild rains have occurred in parts of Maharashtra, South Chhattisgarh and Odisha and Telangana. Gangetic West Bengal, coastal Karnataka, Kerala and coastal Andhra Pradesh received moderate to moderate rainfall. Light rain occurred in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, North Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. Lu’s position remained at one or two places in eastern Uttar Pradesh and eastern Madhya Pradesh.