Bhubaneswar: The state government has enhanced its annual paddy procurement target by 5 lakh metric tonne (MT).
A Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday approved 10 proposals including the food and procurement policy for Khariff marketing season 2019-20 by setting a target of procuring 60 lakh MT of paddy this fiscal (2019-20).
Briefing reporters about the Cabinet decisions, Chief Secretary Asit Tripathy said the state government has set a target to collect 60 lakh MT of paddy (41 lakh MT in terms of rice) this session. While 50 lakh tonne of paddy will be procured during Kharif season, 10 lakh tonne will be collected in Rabi season, he said.
The state had procured 65.49 lakh tonne paddy (44.42 lakh MT rice) from farmers in 2018-19. Odisha, however, requires 24 lakh MT of rice for its Public Distribution System (PDS). The remaining rice is being sold to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
However, in case of necessity the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister has been authorised to enhance the target, Tripathy said.
Paddy (Kharif crop) procurement operation will start in November and continue till March 2020 while paddy of Rabi crop will be collected between May and June 2020.
This year, about 12.40 lakh farmers have registered online to take part in the paddy procurement process, said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department Secretary VV Yadav.
Payment of farmers’ dues on account of paddy sold to government will be transferred directly to their bank accounts online and the payments will be made within 24 to 48 hours of the sale to the government, he said.
As per the policy approved by the Cabinet, 100 per cent delivery of custom milled rice of previous Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) by custom millers is a precondition to participate in the operations in 2019-20.
The Cabinet has also decided to engage more number of Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs) in the paddy procurement process hereafter.
Inter-state bus terminal
In a major boost to Bhubaneswar smart city projects, the state Cabinet has approved the award of tenders for construction of Modern Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Baramunda and bus depot at Khandagiri on engineering procurement construction (EPC) mode.
Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is the executing agency and the tender has been awarded to Central PSU Bridge and Roof Company India Ltd. The project will be developed over an area of 15.5 acre with an investment of Rs 160.66 crore, the Chief Secretary said.
The project will be completed within 24 months and the firm will take up its maintenance for the next five years.
The same bidder will also develop a bus depot for Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) at Khandagiri for shifting the OSRTC bus depot from Baramunda.
The ISBT Baramunda will have a terminal space of 1,31,713 square ft and its commercial space will have 1,70,912 square ft. There will be additional space for 35 bus bays and idle parking space for 190 buses. Apart from idle parking space it will have public parking space for more than 250 four-wheelers and about 175 two-wheelers.
