*CHIEF SECRETARY ANURAG VERMA VISITS GRAIN MARKET KHANNA, TAKES STOCK OF WHEAT PROCUREMENT

*66.8 MT wheat has already arrived in Punjab’s grai*n markets; payment of Rs 9,170 crore already made to 4 lakh farmers

*Government committed for immediate purchase & payment within 48 hours to farmers: Anurag Verma

*No Farmer will face any issue in procurement, I have directed all DCs to work 24x7 : Anurag Verma

Khanna/Chanidgarh, April 26-Mr. Anurag Verma, Chief Secretary, Punjab today visited Khanna Mandi and reviewed the ongoing procurement of wheat. He directed all the Procurement Agencies to ensure that farmers do not face any problem in the Mandis.

Mr. Verma further said that during the current season, 132 Lakh Metric Tonnes of wheat is expected to arrive in the Mandis of the State. Out of this, till yesterday evening 66.8 Lakh Metric Tonnes of wheat had arrived in the Mandis i.e. about half the expected crop has arrived in the Mandis. Out of this, 91 percent of the crop i.e. 60.9 Lakh Metric Tonnes has already been purchased. Mr. Verma said that all efforts are being made that crop is cleaned, purchased and weighed within 24 hours of its arrival in the Mandi. Once this is done the farmer is free to leave the Mandi. Payment will be credited into his account within 48 hours of purchase and he will get an SMS in this regard.

Mr. Verma further said that as per the norms of payment within 48 hours of purchase, payment of Rs. 7950 Crores was due to be made to the farmers. Against this, a payment of Rs. 9170 Crores has been already been made to the farmers. This means that in many cases farmers have been paid even before 48 hours. Payment has been made to more than 4 Lakh farmers so far.

Chief Secretary also interacted with the farmers.Sukhdeep Singh S/o Sh. Harpal Singh from Bhamaddi village said that he had brought his crop to the Mandi at 7 A.M. today. His crop was purchased at 12:30 P.M. Similarly, Narinder Singh S/o Sh. Gurnam Singh from Hussainpur village said that he had brought his crop to the Mandi at 7:30 A.M. today. His crop was purchased at 12:40 P.M. Most of the farmers present in the Mandi had brought their crop to the Mandi today only.

Mr. Verma further said that due to delay in harvesting, the arrivals in the Mandis were initially slow and have peaked suddenly, but the entire State Machinery is working day and night to ensure that the farmers do not face any problem in the Mandis. Last year, peak lifting in a single day was 4.8 Lakh Metric Tonnes. Yesterday, lifting crossed this limit and was 5.5 Lakh Metric Tonnes. Mr. Verma said that he is reviewing the progress with Deputy Commissioners via Video Conference every alternate day.

Mr. Verma said that he has directed all the Deputy Commissioners to visit the Mandis daily and ensure that this lifting is increased to 6.5 Lakh Metric Tonnes per day.

So far Khanna Mandi is concerned, till yesterday evening 54 Thousand Metric Tonnes wheat had arrived in the Mandi and 100 percent of this had been purchased. Payment of Rs. 52 Crores was due to be made to the farmers within 48 hours of purchase. Against this, a payment of Rs. 72 Crores has been already been made to the farmers.

Mr. Verma said that the Government is committed to ensure that the crop of the farmers will be purchased immediately in the Mandis and they will be paid within 48 hours. If any farmer faces any problem regarding purchase or payment, he may report on the Government's toll free number 1100. Immediate action will be taken on the information given by the farmer.

Chief Secretary was also accompanied by Director Food & Civil Supplies Puneet Goyal, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, SSP Amneet Kondal and others.

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*RAJU SHOOTER ESCAPE CASE: PUNJAB POLICE ARRESTS ESCAPEE GANGSTER, 10 AIDES FROM PUNJAB AND J&K

— 12 TEAMS OF AGTF PUNJAB WITH ACTIVE SUPPORT OF CENTRAL AGENCIES AND J&K POLICE ACCOMPLISHED THIS OPERATION IN 48 HOURS, SAYS DGP GAURAV YADAV

— POLICE TEAMS RECOVER FOUR WEAPONS INCLUDING A DOUBLE BARREL RIFLE STOLEN FROM GUN HOUSE FROM THEIR POSSESSION

— ARRESTEES INCLUDE THREE PERSONS, WHO ORCHESTRATED ESCAPE OF RAJU SHOOTER FROM HOSPITAL: AIG SANDEEP GOEL

CHANDIGARH, April 26: In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) in a joint operation with Central Agencies and J&K Police has arrested a gangster identified as Charanjit Singh alias Raju Shooter— who escaped from the Civil Hospital Tarn Taran, and his 10 aides during a 48-hours long operation carried out in different parts of Punjab and J&K, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Friday.

Police teams have also recovered four weapons including one double barrel rifle, which got stolen from Tarn Taran-based Meet Gun House on February 28, 2024, and three pistols along with 26 live cartridges from their possession.

Other 10 persons arrested have been identified as Husanpreet Singh alias Husan of village Pidhi in Tarn Taran; Gulab Singh alias Gulab of village Bachde in Tarn Taran; Amritpal Singh alias Chidi of Mohalla Jaswant Singh in Tarn Taran; Baljinder Singh alias Lokka of village Lokka; Bobby of Ajnala; Lovpreet Singh alias Love, Amritpal Singh alias Sandeep Singh and Sajan alias Kalu, trio residents of village Thathian Mahantan in Tarn Taran; Sukhchain Singh alias Mogali and Harmesh Singh alias Chichu, both residents of village Vadayia in Sri Muktsar Sahib.

As per the information, Gangster Raju Shooter is a kingpin of an organised criminal gang active in the Majha region mainly in districts including Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Amritsar Rural. All the arrested accused were involved in criminal activities including attempt to murder, robbery, drug smuggling, etc.

In September 2023, the gang was involved in a failed attempt to loot a bank at Village Dhotian, Tarn Taran in which one police officer was critically wounded in firing by the accused persons. On April 16, 2024, associates of Raju shooter had orchestrated his escape from Civil Hospital, Tarn Taran where he was undergoing treatment.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that following reliable inputs, AGTF Punjab headed by ADGP Promod Ban mobilised 12 police teams under the supervision of AIG Sandeep Goel to track Gangster Raju Shooter and his gang-members.DSP Rajan Parminder, DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar, DSP Harminder Singh and DSP Jaspal Singh participated and led this operation.

“Over 48-hours long operation, which involved meticulous intelligence gathering, technical analysis, and swift action led to the apprehension of Gangster Raju Shooter and his 10 aides from different parts of Punjab and J&K,” said the DGP, while expressing gratitude to the J&K Police and Central Agencies for their enormous support to accomplish this operation.

Sharing more details, AIG Sandeep Goel said that a preliminary investigation has revealed that six associates of Raju Shooter facilitated his escape from the Hospital.

Out of six, Police have arrested three facilitators including Gulab Singh, Husanpreet Singh and Amritpal Singh alias Chidhi, he said, while adding that a manhunt is on to arrest another three facilitators.