Bargarh: The Orissa High Court has issued a significant directive aimed at resolving long-standing grievances in the state’s paddy procurement system.
In a ruling on writ petition No. 9562/2026, filed by 14 farmers from Bargarh district, the court ordered the district collector to examine pending applications and ensure that eligible farmers are not denied their right to sell paddy under the government’s procurement scheme.
The petition, led by Girish Kumar Darshana of Mandosil village in Paikamal block, highlighted the plight of farmers excluded from the registration process, leaving them unable to sell their produce since the last Kharif season.
Represented by advocate Dilip Kumar Sahu, the farmers sought judicial intervention to secure procurement tokens and prevent further losses.
The case was heard Monday by Justice Sibo Sankar Mishra. During proceedings, Additional Government Advocate J.K. Bal assured the bench that the state remains committed to purchasing paddy from all registered farmers without discrimination.
He further informed the court that the government has set an ambitious procurement target of 9.3 million tonnes for the 2025–26 Kharif season, with transactions taking place at designated mandis and primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) at the minimum support price.
After hearing arguments, the court directed the Bargarh collector to scrutinize the farmers’ applications and decide their cases promptly in accordance with law.
The bench also reminded the state government that failure to act could compel the court to order the issuance of procurement tokens directly to the petitioners.
Meanwhile, tensions continue to simmer in Bargarh district, where farmers have been staging a sit-in protest outside the collector’s offi ce since March 9.
Their demand is straightforward: inclusion in the procurement process so that they can sell their paddy without further delay.
With the High Court’s intervention, farmers are now awaiting clarity on whether their produce will finally be procured or whether bureaucratic hurdles will prolong the dispute.
The ruling has raised hopes among the aggrieved cultivators, but the coming weeks will determine whether the directive translates into tangible relief on the ground.
PTI
