Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government is gearing up putting all its effort for paddy procurement in the current Rabi season.
This was discussed in detail at an inter-ministerial review meeting today. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo at the third floor Conference Hall of Lok Seva Bhawan.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Krushna Chandra Patra, Minister for Steel, Mines, Commerce and Transport Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, Minister for Cooperation Pradeep Bal Samanta, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Principal Secretaries, Collectors and other officials of various districts.
Principal Secretary for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Kumar Singh apprised about the procurement of paddy during Kharif season in the meeting. In the last kharif season, around 73.45 LMT of paddy was procured from nearly 16.6 lakh farmers. For this, Rs 16,853 crore was provided as MSP and Rs 5,862 crore as input assistance. Similarly, paddy procurement for the current Rabi season will last till June 30.
It was informed that a target has been set to procure 14 lakh LMT of paddy this Rabi season. About 3.37 lakh farmers have registered to participate in the process. Procurement will be made through 965 primary agricultural cooperative societies in 20 districts.
Deputy Chief Minister Singh Deo expressed happiness over the arrangement made for procurement in the last Kharif season. It was successful due to the direct supervision of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Similarly, he suggested that the interests of farmers can be protected in the current Rabi season.
He directed to install cameras in each mandi and appoint nodal officers and supervisors to monitor the procurement process effectively. There is a need to be more vigilant as more farmers have registered this year. He also suggested that assigned officers register themselves through mandi monitoring app. Action may be initiated against officials found negligent in duty. It was decided in the meeting that minimum facilities will be available for the farmers at each mandi.
Like kharif, Rs 2,300 per quintal as MSP and Rs 800 as input assistance will be credited directly to the farmers’ accounts within 48 hours of paddy procurement. In addition, complaints can be made through 1967.
In every mandi, proper installation of CCTVs along with drinking water and other facilities have been made available. In view of the unseasonal rains and heat wave, special arrangements have been made for the protection of paddy kept in the mandis.
Similarly, special attention has been given to keep a close watch on vehicles carrying paddy from outside of the state not to enter our state and it has been suggested to deploy squads accordingly, revealed by Cooperation department in the meeting.
As per requirements, Cameras will be mounted on vehicles carrying paddy from mandis to mills. For this, Managing Director of Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation, K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy detailed useful facts.
Among others Principal Secretary of Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Director of Agriculture & Food Production Shubham Saxena, Special Secretary of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sudam Charan Mandal, Registrar of Co-operative Societies Siddhartha Sahu were present.
