Maneswar: The Regulated Market Committee (RMC) and the cooperative department have constructed warehouses and permanent markets at several places in Sambalpur district to store and sell paddy. Taking a cue from Haryana and Punjab, crores of rupees are said to have been spent on providing these facilities.
But the godowns proved to be of no use as they have been found under lock and key. Villagers blame the apathetic attitude of the government for the sorry state of affairs.
Sources said over Rs 20 crore had been spent on permanent markets under RMC, Sambulpur circle, at Bareipali, Padiabahal, Jayantpur, Jujumura, Themara, Nuanmura, Sahaspur, Chaunarapur, Charpali and Gosala while work on such facilities is going on at places like Maneswar, Tabala and Dhama. Similarly, the cooperative department has completed 44 godowns while several others are under construction.
Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, construction of 16 godowns of 300 MT capacity each have been completed at Talab, Sashan, Sankarma, Chaunrapur, Nuanmura, Batemura, Dhama, Bahama, Ghenupali, Naktideula, Kisinda, Batagaon, Daincha, Salebhata, Rampur, Banshajal and Kadaligarh.
Likewise, under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (IRDF), large and medium godowns have come up at a cost of Rs 55 lakh and Rs 26 lakh respectively and several others are under construction, sources said.
With the permanent markets and godowns remaining locked, paddy procurement is reportedly going on under trees and in the open. Traders and millers are running the market yards allegedly by greasing the palms of unscrupulous RMC and cooperative department employees, forcing the farmers to incur losses.
Farmers said they would benefit if the district administration and all related departments put the market systems to use.
Ashok Pradhan, convener of Pashchima Orissa Krushak Sangathan, a farmers’ outfit, said the government was constructing permanent markets without essential facilities. As a result, farmers’ problems have remained unsolved, he added. PNN