Political News: Charanjit Singh Channi meets PM, discusses farm laws, paddy procurement

Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday and demanded repeal of the three farm laws and that paddy procurement on minimum support price (MSP) be started early against the deferred date of October 11.

“The procurement of paddy in Punjab starts from October 1, but this time the central government has delayed it to October 11. I have requested the PM to start it now,” Channi told media persons after the meeting. “I met the prime minister for the first time after becoming the chief minister. It was also a courtesy call. But still I have raised three issues with him.”

The other issue was the reopening of Kartarpur corridor.

Government officials, however, said the decision to start paddy procurement from October 11 has been taken keeping in mind the interests of farmers and consumers.

Heavy downpour in end of Spetember delayed the maturing of the paddy crop, they said, adding that rains also increase the moisture content in the paddy, which would result in the paddy getting rejected at procurement centres and would lead to distress sale of paddy at lower rates.