The Punjab government has released over Rs 2,000 crore to farmers of the state for wheat procured up to last week. Chief Minister said his government had fulfilled its commitment of ensuring payment within 48 hours and of lifting of their wheat immediately on arrival in mandis. The Punjab government has announced that it has set aside Rs 11,000 crore for total procurement season to ensure hassle-free payment to the farmers. Out of this, Rs 8,000 crore has been placed at the disposal of the Food and Supply Department for the month of April alone. Six government agencies and private millers have procured more than 30.60 lakh tonnes of wheat in Punjab for central pool, according to an official spokesman of the government. Agencies and private millers procured more than 31.17 lakh tonnes of wheat till Sunday evening. Out of the total procurement of 31, 17,250 tonnes of wheat in all the procurement centers of Punjab, government agencies procured 30,60,806 tonnes of wheat (98.2 pc) till date, whereas millers have lifted 58,845 tonnes (1.8 pc) of wheat. Till yesterday, Pungrain had procured 5,50,030 tonnes (18.5 pc), whereas Markfed procured 7,39,757 tonnes (24.2 pc). Punsup procured 7, 12,185 tonnes (23.3 pc), Pswc procured 3, 87,402 tonnes (12.7 pc) whereas Paic was able to procure 3,69,267 tonnes (12.1 pc) of wheat. The FCI had been able to procure 2,85,458 tonnes (9.3 pc). Patiala district with 6,42,144 tonnes of procurement was leading in procurement operations, whereas Sangrur district with 5,39,390 tonnes was at second slot and Ferozepur district with 4,07,045 tonnes ranked at the third position. The state government has set up over 1,615 procurement centres and activated its total machinery to ensure smooth procurement.