Ahead of the peak wheat procurement season, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann met Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi on Friday and secured key assurances to ease the state’s mounting foodgrain storage crisis.With Punjab’s covered godowns nearly bursting at the seams — holding about 180.88 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of foodgrains against a capacity of roughly 183 LMT — the state was staring at a severe crunch as the Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2026-27 got underway on April 1. Officials expect procurement of 130-132 LMT of wheat this season, leaving little room for the fresh arrivals, especially after unseasonal rains and hailstorms damaged crops in several districts.During the nearly hour-long meeting at Joshi’s office, Mann painted a grim picture of the ground reality. “Our godowns are almost full with old stocks of rice and wheat. Slow lifting by the Centre has forced us to store grains in suboptimal CAP (cover and plinth) structures. We need immediate action to create space for the new crop and protect farmers’ interests,” he told the minister.The Chief Minister strongly pitched for faster monthly movement of at least 12 LMT each of wheat and rice. He also demanded special trains to evacuate the piled-up stocks. In a major relief for the state, Joshi responded positively and agreed to run special trains to lift nearly 155 LMT of foodgrains from Punjab. Mann later described the decision as a “big relief” that would help decongest mandis and godowns before fresh procurement gathers pace.Mann also raised the issue of crop losses due to recent hailstorms and unseasonal rains that hit wheat fields just days before harvesting. He requested a central assessment team to visit affected areas and facilitate timely compensation for distressed farmers. The Union Minister assured that teams would be dispatched soon to evaluate the damage.Another pressing demand was the release of nearly ₹9,000 crore in pending Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues. Mann emphasised that the funds were meant exclusively for mandi infrastructure, road repairs and rural development. He offered to withdraw the state’s Supreme Court petition if the Centre begins releasing the amount, even in instalments. Joshi assured that a secretary-level meeting would be convened shortly to resolve the longstanding issue.The Chief Minister also flagged higher cash credit limit (CCL) interest rates being charged to Punjab compared to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), resulting in an annual loss of nearly ₹500 crore to the state exchequer.He sought parity in interest calculations. Issues concerning arhtiyas (commission agents), including their demand for restoration of 2.5 per cent commission and reimbursement of withheld payments, were also discussed.After the meeting, a visibly satisfied Mann addressed the media and posted on social media, saying several critical issues concerning Punjab were taken up in detail and the Centre had given a positive response. “We remain committed to safeguarding the interests of our farmers and the state,” he said.