Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has assured Punjab government that it would purchase maximum quantity of cotton from the mandis in the state so that the farmers could get remunerative price of their produce.
This was stated here last night by D S Guru, Principal Secretary to Punjab Chief Minister, who talked to CCI CMD Subhash Grover over the phone. CCI is the nodal agency for cotton procurement.
According to Guru, chief minister had earlier made an earnest appeal to both agriculture minister and CCI to come to the rescue of cotton growers as they were complaining that they were not even being given MSP.
Grover also stated that though CCI entered in the Punjab market very late even then it has purchased 1,20,318 quintals of cotton, whereas the total arrival of cotton up to Saturday was only 7,35,369 quintals.
He said that he was specially deputed by the chief minister for surprise visit the mandis for three days to make sure smooth procurement.
He also stated that 13 IAS officers had also been deputed for 20 districts to supervise the procurement operation and to ensure that the farmers get payments within 48 hours of the procurement.
