State to announce new paddy procurement policy soon

The Orissa government would soon bring out a new procurement policy for the current procurement season to avoid distress sale of paddy and also to ensure that the farmers get the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the foodgrain.

This was announced by Sarada Nayak, the state minister for food supplies and consumer welfare. “Before bringing out the policy, we are studying the paddy procurement policies of other states and also having discussions with the field level officials of the civil supplies department. The state government would announce the new policy before the start paddy procurement next month”, said Nayak.

The minister was at Chhatrapur, the district headquarter town of Ganjam district to address the field-level officials of the civil supplies department under the southern revenue division.Besides, the state government is mulling to open more purchase centres in the state for the convenience of the farmers. The procurement agents would be engaged to collect paddy from the farmers.

“Last year, as many as 2390 purchasing centres were opened in various places. This time, the state government was planning to open the centres at the panchayat level”, the minister said. The state government is yet to fix the paddy procurement target for this year. The state government had surpassed its paddy procurement target last year.

While the3 target for paddy procurement for the last year was fixed at 31 lakh tonnes, the state government procured 35 lakh tonnes. The procurement was conducted by various agencies like Orissa State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies, Markfed, Nafed, and Food Corporation of India (FCI). The procurement is also done by the miller agents and women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

Stressing on proper distribution of essential commodities, the minister said, the enforcement squad would be strengthened and it would carry out surprise checks at different points.

The government would take stringent action against the errant officers who are found involved in pocketing the PDS (public distribution system) commodities like rice and kerosene.