Paddy Procurement Begins in 18 Districts; Over ₹2,940 Crore Disbursed to Farmers

Bhubaneswar: Paddy procurement under the ongoing Kharif season has commenced across 18 districts of Odisha, enabling a large number of farmers to sell their produce at nearby mandis. So far, 2,71,318 farmers have participated in the procurement process, with payments successfully credited to the bank accounts of 1,85,820 farmers.

According to official data, an amount of ₹2,247.52 crore has been disbursed towards Minimum Support Price (MSP), while ₹693.51 crore has been transferred as Input Assistance, taking the total payout to over ₹2,940 crore.

For the first time, the State Government has introduced Aadhaar-based payment mechanisms to ensure that only genuine farmers registered on the Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) portal receive payments directly into their bank accounts. Officials said this digital intervention has significantly enhanced transparency and efficiency in the procurement process.

Less than one per cent of total payment transactions have been reported as failed cases. These have largely occurred due to issues such as frozen bank accounts, Aadhaar de-seeding, pending KYC, or bank accounts reaching maximum transaction limits.

All failed transactions have been identified, and affected farmers are being contacted directly by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) headquarters through their registered mobile numbers. They are being advised to visit their respective bank branches to rectify the issues. At the district level, offices of the Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies (DRCS) are also assisting farmers to ensure timely correction of bank details and prompt release of payments.

Farmers have been urged to update their KYC details at the earliest to avoid delays. For further clarification or assistance, they may contact the OSCSC headquarters in person or call the toll-free helpline number 1967.