1 day Ago By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Wednesday decided to procure one crore tonne paddy from farmers during the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25 with an enhanced minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,100 per quintal. Taking a review on the preparation for implementation of the MSP for paddy by departments concerned at a high-level meeting attended by five ministers, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi directed officials to simplify the procurement process at mandis (market yards) and ensure that farmers benefit from the increased MSP. “The state government has set a target of procuring one crore tonne of paddy this year.
Necessary arrangements should be made at mandis for the convenience of farmers,” the chief minister said. Emphasising on safe storage, Majhi directed officials to construct adequate godowns and focus on the need for quality checks during procurement using automatic grain analysers. In order to prevent intermediaries and middlemen, the government will use the E-Vahan App to track paddy transportation.
GPS-enabled tracking will ensure transparency. A team of officials from Agriculture, Food Supplies, Panchayati Raj and Revenue departments will conduct field visits to monitor the procurement process. The meeting also discussed constructing godowns under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
Deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo, Revenue minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Cooperation minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water minister Rabi Narayan Naik, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja and other senior officers of the departments concerned were present..
