Sonepur: As the procurement of Kharif paddy began in Subarnapur district Tuesday, an increasing number of suspected land discrepancies have been reported following farmer registrations and subsequent satellite surveillance. During the 2023-24 Kharif season, more than 24,000 suspected land discrepancy cases were reported. After the government announced purchase price of Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy, the number rose to 32,000 this year. By Thursday evening, 27,698 of these cases had been flagged following field verification.
Sources said the irregularities were revealed through satellite surveys, which identified registered lands that did not have paddy cultivation. Some areas, including barren plots, roads, ponds, and reservoirs, were falsely listed as cultivated for taking benefits of government paddy procurement. The majority of the suspected cases were received from Biramaharajpur, Ulunda, and Binka blocks, where women’s self-help groups (SHGs) were allegedly involved in registering non-cultivated lands. For the 2024-25 Kharif season, approximately 80,000 hectares of land in Subarnapur district have been reported as paddy cultivated. Around 68,824 farmers are registered with Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and women SHGs to sell their paddy.
However, allegations of fraudulent registrations surfaced, with claims that some individuals were attempting to sell paddy from non-cultivated lands at government rates. Revenue inspectors, agricultural staff, PACS secretaries, SHG leaders, and irrigation department employees flagged suspicious registrations during field inspections. Sources said due to limited staff to investigate thousands of hectares, some discrepancies remain unresolved. To improve accuracy, the government conducted an additional satellite survey. After surveying 866 villages across six tehsils, 32,346 plots were identified as non-cultivated. Satellite data was cross-verified by 307 field staff, including PACS and SHG officials. By Thursday evening, 31,911 plots (99%) had been surveyed, confirming non-cultivation on several of them. Farmers involved in false registrations have been denied paddy sale tokens.
