Post News Network
Jamankira, Dec 26: Gunduruchuan farmers’ association in Jamankira block of Sambalpur district has flayed the district administration for not speeding up the paddy procurement process and ignoring concerns of farmers.
Dushmant Nayak, the association president, blamed the collector for not showing seriousness in addressing the problems of the farmers. He alleged that the administration had set a target to procure 1.22 lakh quintals of paddy from farmers at Gunduruchuan centre in this season. However, it has so far procured only 2,150 quintals of paddy though one month has passed since the mandi was opened. Nayak further alleged that the quantity of paddy procured at Gunduruchuan centre is only three per cent of the target set by the administration.
Nayak added that the administration had procured 84,000 quintals of paddy from the farmers at this centre during the same period last year despite the state being hit by cyclonic storm ‘Phailin’. He further added that around 12,000 sacks of paddy are lying at Gunduruchuan centre and the administration is not making any arrangement to procure the paddy and shift it to some other place.
Nayak alleged that farmers tried to apprise the collector about the slow paddy procurement during his visit to Kuchina Thursday, but the collector did not meet them. Nayak flayed the collector for avoiding the farmers and warned that they would hit the streets if the issue is not addressed.
