Bhubaneswar: A record 56.27 lakh metric tonne paddy has been procured from 10, 20,779 farmers in the State by today morning, informed Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare and Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain.
The Minister said that the paddy procurement will continue in the State for another 35 days.
“We are committed to procure paddy from registered farmers who have been issued with tokens,” announced Swain.
As on date, we have procured 21% more paddy as compared to last year, he added.
He said that by the 21st of this month 10,13,000 farmers have sold their paddy to the procurement agencies as compared to 8,31,000 farmers during the corresponding period last year.
The Minister informed that unprecedented action has been taken against those who were allegedly involved in irregularities or violations of guidelines.
“As many as 83 employees of the Cooperation department have been suspended during the kharif procurement season this year, 05 have been dismissed, 27 data entry operators have been dismissed for entering of erroneous data, DRCS Keonjhar, ARCS Keonjhar and Administrator of Sahanpada Society have been suspended,” he added.
The Minister further informed that action has been taken against five Custom Millers on charges of committing irregularities as per law and guidelines.
“This is unprecedented,” he stated.
Swain said that the proposal of the Standing Committee for the installation of CCTV is under the active consideration of the government.
All specific complaints with regards to paddy procurement will be dealt with, he added.
BJP MLA from Sambalpur Jayanarayan Mishra opined that district-level procurement committees should be made activated and the government abolish the token system and if it is to remain, the primary societies should be entrusted with the job of issuing tokens. The State government has failed to deliver its responsibility, he alleged.
“Both the State and the Central governments are responsible if farmer’s paddy is not being lifted from the mandi. We are not happy with the Minister’s reply in the House,” said Congress MLA from Jeypore Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
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