Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 18: Encouraged by the achievement in 2014-15 Kharif Marketing Season’s paddy procurement, the state government has enhanced the target for both the marketing seasons from 30 lakh tonne to 36 lakh tonne.
“Till May 13, the state government has procured 39.99 lakh tonne of paddy that is equivalent to 27.16 lakh tonne of rice. As this year we have procured 21 per cent more than that of the last year’s, the state has decided to procure paddy equivalent to 36 lakh MT of rice in this year (including both the Kharif and Rabi seasons),” food supply and consumer welfare (FS&CW) secretary MS Padhi told the media here recently.
It was decided at a state-level paddy procurement committee meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary GC Pati.
The procurement for Rabi season has begun May 15 and would continue till June 30, said Padhi adding, it would be executed in 19 irrigated districts only.
“The district collectors have been asked to expedite the procurement process to achieve the target by June 30. They have been asked to enhance the Mandi (paddy procurement market yard) days. The Mandis will remain open for six days in a week excluding Sunday,” the secretary added.
The minimum support price (Rs 1,360 per quintal) will remain unchanged for this Rabi season.
The new farmers can also register their names to participate in the procurement process. However, those who have already registered for Kharif marketing season (KMS), need not go for fresh registration. Their cases will be renewed with additional information such as land put into cultivation for Rabi crop, another official of the FS&CW department said.
The official said as many 7,82,917 farmers registered their names for Khariff season this year while about 1,55,493 farmers for Rabi have been registered through online registration system. As some pockets in Jagatsinghpur, Deogarh, Kandhamal and Cuttack do not have rice mills the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprises) department has been directed to set up mills in the areas, sources said.
Till date, the FS&CW department has registered certificate cases against 31 defaulter millers under the provisions of Orissa Public Distribution Regulation Act, while it registered criminal cases against 56 defaulter millers.
The paddy procurement automation system (P-PAS) has successfully been implemented in 60 high procuring blocks last season. This is a web-based application in which all transactions at mandis are done through computer both in online and offline mode.
Around 46 per cent of the total paddy procured has been transacted through the automated system and around 2,28,816 farmers have been benefited out of it.
The chief secretary has directed the officials to extend the system to 160 blocks during the upcoming Kharif procurement. For Rabi procurement, the P-PAS will be implemented in 36 blocks of 12 high procuring districts.