CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday directed the Deputy Commissioners and senior police officers in all the districts to strictly enforce the ban on transport cartelisation to ensure smooth procurement in the ongoing Rabi season.

Reviewing the procurement arrangements, the Chief Minister directed the DGP to take stern action against anyone found trying to disrupt the procurement process, warning that nobody would be allowed to obstruct transport movement during the procurement and lifting operations.

Reiterating his directions to the DCs and the police to extend their support to the transporters engaged by the state government for the transportation of wheat, the Chief Minister asked them to keep a close vigil on the movement of all vehicles hired for the purpose of lifting the commodity.

An official spokesperson said after the meeting that Captain Amarinder Singh also once again asked the Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies to take all possible steps to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement operations. He directed the Civil and Police Administration to monitor the progress of procurement and lifting of wheat on a daily basis to ensure the completion of the gigantic task within the stipulated time-frame.

Reiterating his firm commitment to ensuring smooth procurement, the Chief Minister said that every single grain of the farmers’ produce would be procured and the payments would be made in a timely manner, as had been done in the last Rabi and Paddy seasons since his government took over.

The meeting was attended by Chief Principal Secretary to CM Suresh Kumar, DGP Suresh Arora, Principal Secretary Food and Civil Supplies KAP Sinha and Principal Secretary to CM Tejveer Singh.