Sohela: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the distribution of an input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy to the farmers of the state at a function held in Sohela of Odisha’s Bargarh district on Sunday.
The state government paid additional input assistance of Rs 66 crore to over 16,000 farmers through DBT on Sunday.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Majhi said, “Today will be a historic day for Odisha. For farmers, this will be written in golden letters as the state government has reached out to them to provide them an accurate price for their paddy.”
“I am very happy with launching this initiative for the farmers,” the Chief Minister said.
The government has selected Sohela to launch the distribution of the additional input subsidy because the area is treated as a hub of farmers, he said.
The Chief Minister said that there are two main purposes in starting from Sohela in Bargarh district. The first is that the previous government promised a lie to our breadwinner farmers in 2016. A false promise of Rs 100 per quintal was made.
“As a befitting reply to that false promise and deception, I have come to you and launched an additional input subsidy program of Rs 800 per quintal. This is our government’s commitment to keep its word.”
“The second is that Bargarh district is the rice bowl of Odisha. The farmer brothers and sisters of this district work hard and produce the highest amount of paddy in the entire Odisha. Bargarh district’s contribution to the food security of the state is significant,” Majhi said.
“Our farmer brothers and sisters are the breadwinners of the country. Without their progress, the country’s progress is impossible. It is absolutely necessary for farmers to get fair price for their produce,” the Chief Minister said.
“In its election manifesto, the BJP had promised to procure paddy from farmers at a price of Rs 3,100 per quintal. Today, the promise was fulfilled,” the Chief Minister said.
Majhi said that within one hour of taking oath, he called the first Cabinet meeting and took important decisions including distribution of Rs 800 per quintal input assistance to paddy farmers.
Paddy procurement for the Kharif season started on November 20 and so far, more than 21,500 farmers have sold their paddy to the government, Majhi said.
Deputy Chief Minister who is also in-charge of the Agriculture Department, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said, “Our government believes in work not words. What we have promised to farmers before the election has been delivered today.”
Among others, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta and local MP and MLAs attended the event. Another Deputy CM Pravati Parida and several ministers also graced the event virtually from different districts.
