CHANDIGARH: Chairman FCI  Alok Sinha Wednesday called on Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at his residence this evening and apprised him about the smooth procurement operations of paddy by FCI in the state. 

Sinha informed the Chief Minister that the procurement of paddy by the FCI would now gradually pick up its momentum with the recent announcement of bonus of Rs.50 per quintal by the GoI.  He assured the Chief Minister that the FCI would efficiently undertake the procurement of its allotted share within the next coming days.  

He admitted that the little bit delay in the procurement was primarily due to the delayed announcement of bonus by the GoI which made the farmers skeptical and were not coming forward for the procurement. Sinha also hoped of bumper procurement of wheat from Punjab during the Rabi-2008 due to the hike of Rs.250/- per quintal in MSP of wheat

Badal thanked the Chairman of FCI for his positive response and assured of fulsome support to the FCI on behalf of the Punjab Government.  

Earlier, Sinha had a detailed meeting with the Food & Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon and the senior functionaries of the Food & Supplies Department to monitor the procurement of paddy by the FCI.  

Prominent amongst others who were present in the meeting included; Food & Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Principal Secretary Food & Supplies Tejinder Kaur, Senior Regional Manager FCI Punjab Sarabjit Singh and Director Food & Supplies SP Singh.