Mungantiwar seeks paddy procurement centres in Chandrapur before Diwali, payment within 48 hours

MLA Sudhir Mungantiwar has demanded that paddy procurement centres in Chandrapur district be started before Diwali. He has submitted a representation to the state's Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Chhagan Bhujbal, in this regard.

The representation says the procurement should be carried out under the Price Support Scheme for the Kharif season 2026-27. Mungantiwar's second demand is that once a farmer sells paddy, the money be deposited directly into the farmer's bank account within 48 hours.

Mungantiwar has taken a firm and insistent stand on the matter. He said paddy-growing farmers in Vidarbha, including Chandrapur, should get a fair price for their labour, and should be able to celebrate Diwali happily without worrying about money.

He has strongly demanded that a system be introduced, along the lines of Chhattisgarh, under which money reaches farmers' accounts within just 48 hours of selling paddy.

To make paddy procurement in Maharashtra faster, the Parinay Fuke committee had studied how Chhattisgarh works and then presented a proposal. Mungantiwar has demanded that an immediate decision be taken on this proposal, that it be given administrative approval and that a financial provision also be made.

According to him, if farmers have to wait several days for payment after selling paddy, their financial planning is upset. This directly affects the next farming season, loan instalments and household needs.

For this reason, Mungantiwar has said that before Diwali, preparations for farmer registration, gunny bags, weighing scales and storage should be made and the procurement timetable fixed. This would spare farmers any technical or administrative delay, he said.