Centre extends Maharashtra's maize procurement target

The Central government has allowed Maharashtra to procure up to nine lakh quintals of maize and extended the date to do so till July 15, state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said on Wednesday. Earlier, the Centre had allowed the state government to procure 2.50 lakh quintals of maize and 1.50 lakh quintals of jowar till June 30.

The state civil supplies minister said the target with regard to maize was achieved in advance and time had come to close the procurement centres. Still some produce was left with farmers and the Maharashtra State Marketing Federation and Adivasi Vikas Mahamandal (tribal development corporation) were demanding the procurement of the same, Bhujbal said.

"The state government had urged the Centre to revise the maize procurement targets to nine lakh quintals and extend the deadline to July 15," he said.

The demand has been accepted and all the produce will be procured now, the minister said in a tweet. Meanwhile, Bhujbal said the government had provided over 23 lakh Shiv Bhojan thalis at Rs 5 per plate through 851 centres between June 1 and June 23. More than 81 lakh thalis were distributed from April till June, he added. 

(Image Credits: ANI)