Bhubaneswar: In a major relief to paddy farmers, the Odisha Government has promised Rs 3,100 per quintal for paddy during the 2026-27 Kharif Marketing Season and assured payment within 48 hours of procurement.
Setting a target of 78 lakh metric tonnes, the state has introduced a technology-backed procurement system integrating Aadhaar e-KYC, digital land records and satellite-based crop verification to plug loopholes and ensure transparency.
The Odisha Government has set a target of procuring 78 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy during the 2026-27 Kharif Marketing Season, assuring farmers Rs 3,100 per quintal, including MSP and input assistance, while introducing a technology-driven procurement system to ensure transparency, timely payments and efficient paddy purchase
The policy, which will be implemented from November 1, 2026, to March 31, 2027, seeks to ensure transparent procurement, timely payment to farmers, efficient milling and uninterrupted rice supplies for the Public Distribution System (PDS) and other welfare schemes.
To plug loopholes and strengthen transparency, the government will integrate the Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) with Aadhaar e-KYC, Bhulekh land records and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) platform. Paddy-growing areas will undergo 100 per cent field verification, backed by satellite imagery and Digital Crop Survey (DCS) data to cross-check registered land details.
The policy also extends procurement benefits to eligible sharecroppers (Bhaga Chasis) through digital consent and biometric or mobile authentication of landowners.
Farmers will receive payments directly into their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts through NPCI within 24 to 48 hours of paddy purchase. Procurement centres operated through PACS, LAMPCS and Pani Panchayats will facilitate local procurement, with advance SMS alerts in Odia informing farmers about purchase dates and quantities.
Quality control measures include Fair Average Quality (FAQ) testing, AI-based grain analysers at procurement centres handling more than 5,000 tonnes and CCTV surveillance. Mill tagging and route optimisation will help streamline transportation and milling operations.
District-level control rooms and the toll-free helpline 1967 will address farmers’ grievances, while border checks and CCTV surveillance will curb unauthorised paddy inflow.
The government has set a target of procuring 53 LMT of rice, equivalent to around 78 LMT of paddy. Rice requirements under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) and other welfare programmes will be met, with surplus rice supplied to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the Central Pool.