Chandigarh, (IANS) With bulk of the wheat in food grain states Punjab and Haryana being harvested, both states have procured nearly 174 lakh tonnes of wheat this season, food and supplies officials of both states said here on Wednesday.

The procurement this year is higher than the 163 lakh tonnes in both states till May 11 last year.

Punjab has procured nearly 108.5 lakh tonnes of wheat, while Haryana has procured over 65.5 lakh tonnes this season.

“The Reserve Bank of India today (Wednesday) revalidated and extended the validity period of the authorisation of Rs.17,523 crore as Cash Credit Limit (CCL) till May 31 for the wheat crop of the Rabi 2016-17 season in the state,” Punjab’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adaish Partap Singh Kairon said.

“This move would pave a way for the release of balance dues of the farmers, arthiyas (commission agents) and other stakeholders.

“(An amount of) Rs.5,938 crore has already been released to the farmers and arthiyas during April and the remaining dues were being released as per the sanction,” Kairon said.