New Delhi, Aug. 8 -- The Centre has agreed to lift 18 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of old grain stock lying in Punjab's mandis by September 30, clearing crucial storage space for the state's expected bumper paddy crop, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said after meeting Union Food and Supplies Minister Pralhad Joshi in Delhi on Saturday.

CM Bhagwant Mann met Pralhad Joshi and Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Delhi. He said that the Punjab Government has stepped up preparations to ensure seamless procurement and timely payment to farmers, asserting that no farmer will face difficulty in selling the produce.

"We had a productive meeting with the Union Food Supply Minister, Pralhad Joshi, regarding the upcoming crop season....