BJP MPs from Odisha allege scam in paddy procurement

BHUBANESWAR: BJP MPs from Odisha on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to consumer affairs, food and public distribution minister Piyush Goyal seeking his intervention to resolve the issues on alleged mismanagement and corrupt practice in paddy procurement in the state.
Stating that unscrupulous traders and fake farmers, who do not cultivate, in collusion with the members of primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) have been siphoning off the minimum support price (MSP) support of the government by getting tokens for paddy sale, the MPs wrote that around 5.54 lakh acres has been identified as fake in the satellite survey. This makes non-farmers eligible to receive MSP support to the tune of Rs 1,715 crore, they wrote.
The MPs wrote that though the Kharif Marketing Season commences from October to facilitate smooth paddy procurement, giving a 151-day official window, market yards in Odisha except have not opened till now in most districts curtailing the actual procurement window to 40 to 43 days, creating panic among small and marginal farmers.
Cooperation minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak could not be contacted for his comment.