Odisha okays rice procurement thru agencies

This was decided at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here. While the target for rice procurement had been fixed at 28 lakh tonnes in 2011-12, it was increased by about two lakh metric tonnes this fiscal, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik told reporters.

"Rice will be procured through the state-run Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC), TDCC, Markfed, Nafed and by engaging members of self help groups (SSGs) and Pani Panchayats," Patnaik said adding OSCSC had been given the major target of procuring 28.86 lakh tonnes.

As the FCI failed to meet the target last year and its performance over the years was far from satisfactory, the state government this time decided not to give procurement work to the central agency, Patnaik said.

While FCI was given a target of procuring 50,000 tonnes of rice last year, it could procure only 5,373 tonnes, he said.

Patnaik said the government's procurement amount of 30 lakh tonnes of rice was much above the state's requirement of 22 lakh tonnes of rice per annum. (More)