Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is set to begin paddy procurement for the current Kharif season from November 21, with operations starting in Bargarh district. Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari made the announcement following a ministerial meeting on Monday.
Highlighting the details, Minister Pujari stated that paddy would be purchased from farmers at ₹3,100 per quintal. This price includes the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of ₹2,300 per quintal, supplemented by an additional input assistance of ₹800 per quintal provided by the state government.
To ensure a seamless procurement process, the state has decided to deploy designated officials at procurement centers, or mandis, until the completion of the operations. Each cluster of 4-5 mandis will have a supervisor to oversee activities. Furthermore, quality testing machines will be installed at these centers to maintain the standard of paddy being procured. The transportation of paddy from the mandis to rice mills will be managed by the transportation department, streamlining logistics.
In an effort to prevent smuggling of paddy from neighboring states, the government has mandated the deployment of patrolling teams and the installation of CCTV cameras at strategic locations. These measures aim to safeguard the interests of genuine farmers and ensure that only eligible individuals benefit from the procurement scheme.
District collectors have been instructed to facilitate the entire process, ensuring the procurement runs smoothly and efficiently.