In its ongoing pursuit to augment farmers’ income and bolster their financial well-being, the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh has set an ambitious goal of procuring 60 lakh metric tonnes of wheat during the fiscal year 2024-25.

To facilitate this substantial procurement, the government aims to operate 6,500 purchasing centres throughout the state, a notable increase from the current count of 6,414 centres.

Furthermore, on the instruction of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, nodal officers have been deployed to oversee the wheat procurement process. These officers, acting on the directives of the CM, are diligently assessing the on-ground arrangements for wheat procurement across various locations, officials said here on Sunday.

Approximately 300,000 farmers have successfully enrolled in the procurement process, a testament to the transparency upheld by the Yogi administration. Presently, 2,75,759 farmers have registered across 6,414 purchasing centres, with 1,91,492 already undergoing verification.

Notably, 72,100 farmers utilised the public portal for registration, while 2,02,805 were registered through various agencies. Additionally, 854 sharecroppers have also been included in the registration process. Following directives from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, overseeing nodal officers have diligently submitted their reports on wheat procurement progress to the government.

Principal Secretary of Food and Logistics Alok Kumar, serving as the nodal officer for the Lucknow division, conducted on-site inspections in Sitapur and Lakhimpur. Notably, Sitapur farmers have articulated bonus demands amidst the procurement process. Sitapur has witnessed the purchase of 1,680 quintals of wheat, while Lakhimpur Kheri recorded a substantial procurement of 13,000 quintals.

Similarly, Food and Logistics Commissioner Saurabh Babu, responsible for Chitrakoot, Jhansi, and Kanpur divisions, visited Mahoba, Hamirpur, Jalaun, and Kanpur Dehat. His report highlights a daily procurement rate of 100 quintals in Mahoba, alongside bonus demands from farmers in Kanpur Dehat.

Furthermore, Food and Logistics Special Secretary Abhishek Goyal, serving as the nodal officer for the Ayodhya division, inspected Amethi and Barabanki. He noted the commencement of wheat harvesting in these regions, though it is yet to be available in the markets. Despite this, all preparations for wheat procurement have been meticulously completed, with operations poised to commence promptly upon market arrivals.

The government has acted upon the recommendations provided by nodal officers, issuing essential directives about wheat procurement. Notably, Prabhash Kumar, Special Secretary of Food and Logistics, serves as the nodal officer for the Meerut division. At the same time, Kamta Prasad Singh, Additional Commissioner of the Food and Logistics Department, Establishment, fulfils this role for the Moradabad division.

Ajay Kumar Dwivedi, Special Secretary of the Agriculture Department, oversees the Saharanpur division, and Shrikant Goswami, Managing Director of UPPCU, holds responsibility for the Jhansi division. Vineet Prakash, Special Secretary of the Nodal Agricultural Marketing Department, is assigned the Basti Division. At the same time, Narendra Prasad Pandey, Special Secretary of the Nodal Cooperative Department, manages the Agra Division.

Similarly, Vinod Kumar Singh, Managing Director of Nodal UPSS, supervises the Chitrakoot Division, with Rajeev Kumar Mishra, Additional Commissioner of Food and Logistics, undertaking responsibilities for the Bareilly Division. Additional Commissioner of the Nodal Cooperative Department, Manoj Kumar, oversees the Aligarh Division.

Each officer visited their respective districts and submitted comprehensive reports to the government. These reports facilitated the government’s issuance of requisite guidelines concerning wheat procurement, ensuring alignment with operational requirements on the ground.