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Time of India
02-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Wheat lifting completed in 6 grain markets of Patiala district
Patiala: The Patiala district administration on Friday claimed to have successfully completed 100% lifting of wheat, procured in six major grain markets during the ongoing Rabi season. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Patiala deputy commissioner Preeti Yadav said lifting operations in the remaining mandis were expedited, and the district was on track to complete its overall procurement target within the coming week. The DC said despite Thursday night's rainfall, there was no waterlogging reported in any mandi, nor any instance of wheat getting soaked had come forward. "All wheat bags were properly covered in advance based on weather alerts, and no damage to the grain was reported," she said. The SDMs of all sub-divisions visited their respective mandis to inspect and ensure proper arrangements. Preeti Yadav informed that the mandis at Sultanpur Chhanna, Devinagar, Babarpur, Ratanheri, Mandour, and Bhojomajri witnessed 100% lifting of the procured wheat. She said, against the estimated target of 9,17,230 metric tonnes for the 2025-26 procurement season, a total of 9,01,846 metric tonnes was already procured. So far, payments amounting to Rs 2,016.21 crore have been made to the farmers for the procured wheat. Till last evening, the total arrival of wheat in Patiala mandis stood at 9,06,511 MT, out of which 9,01,846 MT was procured, said the DC. Sharing agency-wise procurement details, Preeti Yadav said PUNGRAIN procured 2,91,016 MT, MARKFED 2,25,255 MT, PUNSUP 1,87,725 MT, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 1,28,867 MT, and private traders purchased 68,983 MT. MSID:: 120826324 413 |
Hindustan Times
02-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
PUNSUP general manager held for taking ₹1-lakh bribe
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested Ajit Pal Singh Saini, general manager of Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation (PUNSUP), who also holds charges of procurement, storage, commercial, construction, and chief vigilance officer (CVO), for allegedly accepting a bribe of ₹1 lakh. An official spokesperson of the VB said the arrest was made following a complaint lodged by a resident of Ferozepur district. According to the complainant, Saini had demanded a bribe amounting to 10% of an alleged embezzled sum of ₹1.25 crore, related to 14,090 paddy bags shown under bogus purchase. Initially, the bribe demand was ₹2 lakh, but it was negotiated and settled at ₹1 lakh. The complainant, a commission agent operating at the Shahzdi and Mana Singh Wala Mandis in Ferozepur, was allegedly involved in the bogus reporting of 34,250 paddy bags during the 2024 paddy procurement by PUNSUP. A physical inspection revealed a shortage of stock at the rice mills, and the complainant was directed to deposit ₹2.97 crore. He subsequently paid ₹2.5 crore as recovery. Later, the complainant submitted a representation to the managing director of PUNSUP, claiming that gate passes for approximately 19,040 paddy bags had been deleted from the online portal by the district manager and inspectors of PUNSUP in Ferozepur, leading to an unfair financial penalty. Following this, Saini allegedly approached the complainant through a mutual acquaintance, Kanwal Deep, and demanded a bribe to resolve the issue in the complainant's favour. The complainant recorded an audio conversation in which the accused demanded ₹2 lakh as the first instalment. Previously, the district manager and two inspectors of PUNSUP in Ferozepur were suspended in connection with the same case. After discreet preliminary verification of the allegations, the VB found sufficient grounds to proceed. A trap was laid by the Flying Squad, and Ajit Pal Singh Saini was caught red-handed while accepting ₹1 lakh from the complainant in the parking lot of Max Hospital, Phase 6, Mohali. The operation was conducted in the presence of two official witnesses. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered at the VB police station, flying squad-1, in Mohali.
