Chandigarh : The Punjab cabinet, chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, on Saturday approved the policy for smooth procurement of 130 lakh tonnes of wheat during the forthcoming Rabi Marketing Season 2018-19, an official said.

The procurement of wheat will officially begin on April 1. Bulk of wheat arrival will take place after Baisakhi (April 13).

The cabinet directed officials concerned to ensure timely payment to the farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 1,735 per quintal as fixed by the Central government.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said elaborate arrangements had been made to procure 130 lakh tonnes of wheat by six procurement agencies, including Food Corporation of India and five agencies of the Punjab government as per allocated target during the season.

The two-month long procurement season will end on May 31.

A total of 1,835 mandis have been notified for the smooth procurement of wheat, the spokesperson said.

Agrarian state Punjab, known as the ‘Green Revolution’ state, contributes nearly 50 percent food grains (wheat and rice) to the national kitty despite having just 1.54 percent of the country’s geographical area.

—IANS