Cuttack: The Odisha government is targeting the procurement of 86 lakh tonnes of paddy this year. To streamline the transportation system during the procurement process and address significant delays in loading paddy at mandis and unloading at mills, the State Transport Authority (STA) has put forward several recommendations.
According to an official press release, the Transport Commissioner has advised that all truck owners must install vehicle location tracking devices by November 15. This move aims to improve real-time monitoring and address the delays in the transportation process.
Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur held discussions with the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., the Truck Owners Association, and transport contractors at a meeting in Cuttack. The focus was on coordinating the transport system for the upcoming paddy procurement season, which is set to begin at the end of November.
Thakur shared several suggestions to ensure smoother paddy transportation. The Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation is also preparing to issue a tender for paddy transportation, and the meeting took proactive steps to involve more truck owners in the process. Various issues faced by truck owners during paddy transport were discussed in detail.
Sudhakar Sahu, Chief Manager of the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., highlighted key aspects of the tender. Thakur also recommended having a representative from the millers present at the mandis during loading, and ensuring that the paddy is covered with tarpaulin and sealed post-loading to prevent damage and discrepancies.
The installation of vehicle location tracking devices was proposed as a solution to the delays in unloading at mills. Additionally, Thakur suggested that the State Civil Supplies Corporation revise its tender rules by reducing the Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) ratio to 3% and lowering the transport experience requirements to make the process more inclusive for truck owners.
Senior officials from the State Transport Authority, along with Ravi Satpathy, General Secretary of the Odisha Truck Owners Federation, Sarat Chandra Pradhan, President of the Odisha Truck Owners Association, and several transport operators attended the meeting.
