14 October 2024 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is scheduled to meet Union Food Minister Pralhad Joshi at noon on Monday to discuss solutions to the ongoing challenges in paddy procurement that have sparked farmer protests, leading to significant disruptions in several Punjab cities.
On Sunday, farmer unions SKM and BKU Ekta Ugrahan blocked traffic and railway tracks, affecting numerous passenger trains. Additionally, arthiyas (commission agents) joined the protests, demanding a 2.5 percent commission on procurement, while rice millers are calling for the removal of old stocks to accommodate new ones.
Mann had previously reached out to Joshi regarding this issue.