<span style="color: #222222;">The government today said 188.85 Lakh Metric Tonnes  of paddy have been procured against the purchase of around 152 Lakh Metric Tonnes during corresponding period last year . It shows an increase of 24.29 per cent over last year.<br />''<br />''Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in a statement said that out of the total procurement,  Punjab alone has contributed 129.48 Lakh Metric Tonnes. About 15.81 Lakh farmers have already been benefitted from the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season  procurement Operations with MSP value of over 35 thousand 654 crore rupees.<br />''<br />''The Ministry said paddy procurement is continuing smoothly in the procuring States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Chandigarh, Jammu and  Kashmir,Kerala and Gujarat.<br />''<br />''Approval has been accorded for procurement of 45.10 Lakh Metric Tonnes of Pulse and Oilseeds of Kharif Marketing Season to Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh under Price Support Scheme.</span><br />