NEW DELHI:
The Procurement of wheat during the rabi marketing season 2002-2003 is expected to touch 230 lakh tonnes. The total procurement of wheat as on December 10, 2001 during the last rabi marketing season was 206.3 lakh tonnes.

This emerged at a meeting of state food secretaries held here yesterday by the food ministry to discuss the procurement policy and related matters for the rabi marketing season 2002-03.

Food secretaries of Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi participated in the meeting besides senior officials from the agriculture ministry and Food Corporation of India.

The ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution has made all necessary arrangements for a smooth procurement operation during the ensuing rabi marketing season, including finalisation of purchase centres, mandi distribution and arrangement of storage etc. Food secretaries of states were also advised to submit detailed proposals about undertaking decentralised procurement in their states.

Control rooms will be set up in the ministry, FCI and also in states for daily reporting of distress sale. Steps are being taken to expedite movement of stocks already stored in the procuring regions, particularly Punjab, the states were informed.