Odisha Gears Up for Robust Paddy Procurement in Rabi Season

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Government is making extensive preparations for paddy procurement during the current Rabi season, aiming to ensure transparency, efficiency, and the protection of farmers’ interests. An inter-ministerial review meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, was held today at Lok Seva Bhawan to finalize arrangements for the statewide procurement drive.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders including Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Steel, Mines, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, Cooperatives Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, senior bureaucrats, district Collectors, and officials from agriculture and cooperative departments.

During the session, Principal Secretary of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Kumar Singh reviewed the outcomes of the Kharif season procurement. He informed that 73.45 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy were procured from approximately 16.6 lakh farmers, with ₹16,853 crore disbursed as Minimum Support Price (MSP) and ₹5,862 crore provided as input assistance.

Looking ahead to the ongoing Rabi season, the state has set a procurement target of 14 LMT, to be collected through 965 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies across 20 districts. So far, around 3.37 lakh farmers have registered for the process, which will continue until June 30.

Expressing satisfaction over the efficient execution of the Kharif procurement, Deputy CM Singh Deo credited the success to the direct oversight of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. He emphasized the need to replicate that success in the Rabi season through strengthened monitoring, transparency, and accountability.

To that end, he directed that CCTV cameras be installed in all procurement centers (mandis) and that nodal officers and supervisors be appointed to oversee operations. He also urged officials to use the dedicated mandi monitoring app and warned that disciplinary action would be taken against negligence.

Facilities at mandis will include drinking water, shelters, and complaint redressal mechanisms through the 1967 helpline. Farmers will receive ₹2,300 per quintal as MSP and ₹800 as input assistance, both to be credited to their bank accounts within 48 hours of procurement.

Special arrangements have been made to protect stored paddy from unseasonal rains and heatwaves, including enhanced storage provisions. The Cooperation Department also highlighted steps to prevent illegal inflow of paddy from outside the state, with enforcement squads being deployed accordingly.

Further, cameras will be mounted on vehicles transporting paddy from mandis to mills to ensure traceability and curb diversion. Odisha State Supplies Corporation Managing Director K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy shared insights into the logistics and surveillance systems in place to ensure smooth operations.

Among those present at the meeting were Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhi, Director of Agriculture and Food Production Shubham Saxena, Special Secretary of Food Supplies Sudam Charan Mandal, and Registrar of Cooperative Societies Siddhartha Sahu.