Post News Network
Sambalpur, June 2: Officials of district administration encourage corruption in paddy procurement at several market yards of the district, farmers alleged here Tuesday.
The farmers opposed the participation of Markfed (Orissa State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd) and TDCC (Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation) in the procurement process as the officials of these two state-sponsored agencies wanted to procure paddy from the market yards 19 days after they were opened.
The yards were opened May 13 in the district. Primary Agricultural Cooperative societies have been procuring paddy from the farmers through the civil supplies department and the process is in its last leg.
According to government norms, the agencies interested in procuring the produce from the farmers should take part in the procurement process from the first day of opening of the yards.
However, the rule has been flouted by the district administration as these two agencies have been asked to buy paddy directly from the farmers when the process is almost over in the yards at Charpali, Chaunrpur, Shasan, Themra, Sersuantal, Sahaspur, Dhama and Gunderpur.
This has been done purposefully only to benefit corrupt rice millers, unscrupulous traders, middlemen and some government officials, farmers alleged and demanded a high level probe into the development.
Several farmer outfits threatened they would not allow Markfed and TDCC to procure paddy from any of the yards in the district. “We would resort to agitation if these two agencies manage to procure paddy,” Ashok Pradhan, a farmers’ leader warned adding the administration would be held responsible for any untoward incident in this regard.
In a related development, illegal transportation of paddy from neighbouring Bargarh and Subarnapur districts has increased.
The outfits provided the registration number of the trucks involved in the illegal act and demanded a probe. However, lackadaisical attitude of the officials has triggered resentment among the farmers.
A meeting of the farmers was held Monday at Sahaspur market yard, under the leadership of farmer leader Trinath Panda, where they condemned the failure of administration in checking the illegal flow of paddy into the district.
The members urged the collector, sub-collector and civil supplies officer to close the yard from June 12 as the target has been fulfilled.
