Chhattisgarh Govt starts purchasing paddy and maize

In order to give the farmers a fair price for their produce, the state-wide special drive of purchasing paddy and maize under Chhattisgarh support price policy started from today.

On the first day of the scheme, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh conducted a surprise inspection of the paddy purchase center situated in village Anjora of Rajnandgaon district.

He interacted with the farmers who came to sell their produce. The Chief Minister informed farmers about the state government facilities that are being provided at the procurement centres.

The Chief Minister also inspected scales and also tested the quality of paddy. Dr. Singh appealed to farmers to bring clean paddy for selling.

The Chief Minister said that the purchase of paddy from the farmers will be done according to the pre-declared policy by the state government.

"On the day the farmers will sell paddy, their amount will be deposited online in their bank accounts immediately. Under the support price policy, the purchase of cash and linking of paddy will last till January 31, 2018. The purchase of maize will be done till May 31, 2018," the Chief Minister said.

Singh also informed that the support price of paddy has been increased by Rs. 80 per quintal this year.

Even the purchase of maize has been increased by Rs 60 per quintal.

Farmers can sell maize at prescribed production centers at the rate of Rs. 1425 per quintal, said the Chief Minister.

The government has set estimated target of procuring around 7 lakh metric tonnes of paddy and 10 thousand metric tonnes of maize this year.

The paddy will be procured by Chhattisgarh State Co-operative Marketing Federation in all 27 districts of the state and the maize will be purchased by the Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation.

According to the prescribed quality standards of Central Government, the procurement of paddy and maize will be done on the basis of the loan book of the farmers.