Only quality paddy will be purchased

PATIALA, Sept 17: Assailing the government8217;s decision to commence paddy procurement from September 15 instead of October 1, the Punjab State Foodgrain Agencies Field Employees Coordination Committee 8212; comprising employees of Markfed, Punsup, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation and Punjab Agro 8212; have vowed to buy quot;only quality paddy in order to safeguard the interests of employeesquot;.

In a statement here, committee chief spokesman Ashwani Kumar and convenors Bhupinder Singh Markfed, Krishan Sangruri and V.S. Bhardwaj Punsup and Pawan Mittal and J.S. Cheema PSWC said the advancement of procurement date was neither in the interest of employees nor the state. quot;The rice of early harvested paddy is not of good quality and private millers are unable to deliver the same in the Central pool and thus, turn out as defaulters of the agencies,quot; they said.

They said since the quot;faulty paddy policy has been entrusted upon employeesquot;, the procurement staff shall adhere to the procurement of paddy strictly according to laid specifications and not succumb to pulls and pressures.