Wheat procurement started in the state on Tuesday, with 369 metric tons being purchased on the first day. The procurement process will continue until June 15. Cooperative Minister Dr. Prem Kumar inaugurated the wheat procurement at the Churi PACS in the Nagar block of Gaya district. Meanwhile, Cooperative Secretary Dharmendra Singh started the procurement work at the Purushottampur Painathi PACS in the Bihta block of Patna district and the Naubatpur Nagar Panchayat PACS. Following this, wheat procurement began at 4574 PACS, trade unions, and 151 procurement centers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) across the state. By 5 PM on Tuesday, the FCI had purchased 195.36 metric tons, and the PACS and trade unions had purchased 172.98 metric tons of wheat. The payment process for the farmers selling wheat has also started. The government has directed that payments be made to the farmers within 48 hours. This year, wheat is being purchased at a minimum support price (MSP) of 2425 rupees per quintal, which is 150 rupees higher than last year's rate. The target for wheat procurement this year is set at two lakh metric tons, with one and a half lakh metric tons targeted for PACS and trade unions, and the remaining 50 thousand metric tons assigned to the FCI.