Bhubaneswar: Odisha has won the ‘Planet Purpose Award 2023’ in the United States for its use of satellite images based system in paddy procurement.
At the ‘Planet Explore 2023-Transparency to Action Conference’ held in Washington DC, the state’s Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department received the award. Odisha received the ‘Planet Purpose Award’ in ‘Drive for Results’ category.
The department was congratulated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who took pride in ensuring technology-led governance in paddy procurement for improved farmer welfare.
A tweet from the Chief Minister’s office said that the validity of paddy crops at farms is checked using real-time satellite images, ensuring the transparent distribution of the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
With assistance from the Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC), the Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department has put into place an automation system with satellite-assisted paddy crop validation.
Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department tweeted “This innovative intervention of State Govt has tremendous potential to bring relief to genuine farmers and ensure proper targeting of MSP of paddy”.
PNN