Excess wheat arrival keeps Sonepat admn on toes

BS Malik

Sonepat, April 30

Despite damage to the standing wheat crop due to untimely rain and hailstorm during April, wheat arrival in different grain markets and purchase centres of the district till April 29 has surpassed the arrival of corresponding period, last year, by over 50,000 metric tonnes (MT).

According to official information, over 3 lakh MT of wheat had arrived in 20 grain markets and purchase centres by April 29 this year; whereas the arrival during the corresponding period last year was over 2 lakh MT. This has created a problem of plenty for the wheat procurement agencies, who have to arrange excess gunny bags, storage space and transportation facilities for this purchased stock.

Officials from the procurement agencies explained that as there was no government purchase in Delhi and UP, the wheat from these areas was brought to the state markets to get the full minimum support price of Rs 1,450 per quintal.

The officials said, “There can be a nexus between the traders and commission agents to purchase wheat at the rates lower than MSP and sell it here at full MSP.”

This development has put the government agencies on the alert to check the arrival of wheat from adjoining states of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. As a result of this alertness, eight wheat loaded trucks coming from outside the state were impounded at Kharkhoda late last evening by SDM Kharkhoda-cum secretary RTA Rajiv Ahlawat.

On receiving this information, Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Ratan had constituted a three-member committee headed by the Sonepat SDM Amna Tasneem along with District Food Supplies Controller and Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner, Sonepat, to investigate the case.

The SDM told The Tribune that the matter was being investigated from all angles and the report would be submitted to the DC for further action.