Bhubaneswar: Considering the prevailing situation that more number of farmers are still coming to mandis to sell their paddy, the State Government has enhanced its paddy procurement target for the kharif crop season from 65 lakh metric tonnes to 77 lakh MT.
The Group of Ministers led by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo has taken this decision during a meeting held here today. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Co-operation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja and other senior officials attended the meeting.
With a minimum support price of Rs 2,300 and additional input assistance of Rs 800 per quintal, more farmers have expressed their willingness to participate in the procurement. For the benefit of the farmers, the Group of Ministers has decided to increase the target.
Singh Deo said that the process of paddy procurement has become more transparent and successful as the Deputy Chief Ministers, ministers and senior officials are visiting the district and monitoring the process. He also suggested that early steps should be taken for the purchase of paddy in the upcoming Rabi season.
Food Supply and Consumer Welfare principal secretary Sanjay Kumar Singh said 46.36 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured from 9.77 lakh farmers so far.
Nearly Rs 10,000 crore as MSP and Rs 3,500 crore as input assistance has already been transferred to farmers’ accounts.
Keeping in view the interest of the farmers, 3883 nodal officers have been deployed with CCTV systems in the mandis (paddy procurement centres). In addition, 217 enforcement squads have been constituted to keep a close watch on outside paddy vehicles, officials said.
Various complaints related to the sale of paddy including generation of tokens, input support, MSP to farmers are being resolved expeditiously through the Command Control Centre set up at Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation.As many as 4.15 lakh calls have been received and resolved through toll free helpline No-1967.