CHANDIGARH: The
Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday released Rs 18,124.85 crore
cash credit limit (CCL) to the
Punjab government for
purchase of wheat in the ongoing rabi season. However, the state government had sought the total
CCL of Rs 21,179.60 crore for the purchase of 130 lakh tonnes of wheat this season.
The state government had been pursuing the matter with the central government and the
RBI for several days.
The current wheat procurement season started on April 1 and will culminate on May 31. The release of the CCL would help the state government make timely payments to the farmers against the purchase of wheat.
The minimum support price (MSP) of wheat has been fixed by the central government at Rs 1,735 per quintal, hiking it by Rs 110 from last year's Rs 1,625 per quintal.
The CM has ordered the DGP to ensure strict enforcement of the ban on transport cartels and had also issued directives to the food and civil supplies departmen.
