Sambalpur/Malkangiri: Alleging irregularities in paddy procurement at cooperative societies and procurement centres (mandi) in Malkangiri and Sambalpur districts, local farmers Tuesday warned the district administrations of protests.
Farmers in Malkangiri district said that at MV-72 mandi some middlemen registered themselves as farmers of the district for which they had got the identity cards from cooperative societies. The farmers demanded intervention of the district administration and state government accusing ‘middlemen involvement’ in preparing forged documents in the name of farmers.
The farmers also alleged that the staff of cooperative societies have also a good equation with the middlemen for which they got identity cards as farmers. They further alleged that the middlemen are purchasing paddy from farmers at cheaper rates and selling them to cooperative societies through fake identity cards at a higher price.
Similarly, many farmers in Sambalpur alleged that officials of supply department have registered names of some farmers who do not really exist in the district.
“It is illegal to allow ghost farmers to participate in paddy procurement process as this has delayed procurement of paddy from genuine peasants,” said a farmer.
PNN
