Bhubaneswar: Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, and New & Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting, he submitted a letter from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, urging an increase in the procurement target of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) under the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024–25.
The Deputy CM highlighted that while the Government of India has set the CMR procurement target at 50 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT), the actual yield in the state stands at 62.54 LMT. He emphasised the need for immediate enhancement of the approved target to reflect the ground reality and support Odisha’s farmers and food security mechanisms.
He also requested an extension of the CMR delivery deadline from October 31, 2025, to December 31, 2025. In addition, he asked for necessary instructions to be issued to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to expedite the lifting process and ensure evacuation of the remaining balance within the extended timeline. This, he noted, would help Odisha manage its storage and distribution efficiently.
Accompanying the Deputy CM at the meeting were Sanjay Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, Odisha, and Vishal Kumar Dev, Principal Secretary, Energy Department, Odisha.
