Bhubaneswar: In a sharp attack on corrupt practices in Odisha’s farm procurement system, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta on Tuesday alleged that fake farmers—primarily middlemen posing as cultivators—are looting state revenue and depriving genuine farmers of their rightful benefits.
Addressing media concerns over widespread irregularities in paddy procurement, the minister clarified that actual farmers are not involved in the scam. “These are not real farmers but middlemen, many of whom are linked to the previous BJD government. They’ve been exploiting the system for years,” he alleged.
Samanta revealed that during the BJD regime, a large number of fraudulent registrations were created in the names of non-farmers. “Last year, due to oversight, some of these fake farmers managed to register and sell paddy, even as real cultivators were denied tokens. Some of these lands weren’t even cultivated,” he said.
Following complaints and a departmental inquiry, the government identified 1.81 lakh fake farmer registrations. Notices have been issued to all individuals involved, seeking explanations for their fraudulent claims. “More such cases may come to light as our investigation continues,” the minister warned.
He assured that strict action would be taken based on responses received, and steps are being initiated to ensure that only genuine farmers benefit from government procurement schemes going forward.
