Bhubaneswar: Odisha govt paid Rs 295.49 crore to 18,940 farmers after procuring 95,641 metric tonnes of paddy this season from Bargarh, Balangir, Sambalpur, Nuapada, and Kalahandi districts. Food supplies and consumer welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra stated this in the state assembly while replying to an adjournment motion on the "exploitation of farmers at mandi".
He said the govt is procuring paddy from farmers within the timeline by providing the minimum support price (MSP) set by the Centre. They also take immediate action against complaints related to paddy procurement. "We streamlined paddy procurement process and maintained transparency in this system," he added.
He said govt started paying an input subsidy of Rs 800 per quintal of paddy to farmers. So far, Rs 76.51 crore was given to farmers as an input subsidy over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy, said the minister.
Patra stated that a minister-level sub-committee was formed to review and correct the target of paddy procurement. The chief minister gave responsibility to ministers to solve the issues arising from paddy procurement-related problems. "Collectors were asked to utilise CCTV cameras at entry gates of the state to stop paddy-loaded vehicles from other states," he added.
He said Mandi Nodal Officer and Mandi Supervising Officer were engaged to smoothly handle the paddy procurement process. "We arranged several things to help farmers market their paddy without facing any problems," said the minister.