Bhadrak: The 4th sub-committee of an Assembly standing committee led by Arabinda Dhali visited Bhadrak. It laid stress that paddy procurement from farmers be carried out properly so that no farmers face any problem.
The committee members including legislators Satyanarayan Pradhan, Nityananda Gand, Prafulla Samal, Bishnu Sethi, Sanjib Mallick, MP Majulata Mandal along with Collector Gyanaranjan Das and ADM Shyambhakt Mishra discussed various schemes and programmes being executed by civil supplies and consumer welfare, cooperation, handloom and the DIC with departmental officials.
The main thrust of the discussion was paddy procurement.
The committee members were told that paddy procurement is being carried out through 99 PACs and 27 SHGs. Till date, 3, 28,000 quintals of paddy has been purchased from 6466 farmers through cooperative societies. Dues have been credited into bank accounts of 3377 farmers.
MP Manjulata Mandal and MLA Sanjib Mallick alleged before the committee that some cooperative societies reduce 7 to 8 kg of paddy in each quintal while paddy sacks have not been returned to farmers. Civil supplies officials told the committee that 5000 people are awaiting ration cards.
While discussing activities of the DIC and the handloom department, the committee was told that eight handloom artisans were provided loans with bank linkages while six poor handicraft artisans have been picked up for workshop and housing.
Members of two SHGs were trained in upgraded technology at Dhusuri.