2 hours Ago By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: Food Supplies minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Saturday warned rice mill owners of serious consequences if they attempted to purchase paddy from farmers. Patra’s warning came following reports that some millers have been purchasing paddy directly from farmers at rates almost half of the enhanced minimum support price of Rs 3,100 per quintal. “It has come to the notice of the state government that a rice mill of Nuapada district has stored 500 quintal of paddy which the owner purchased directly from farmers at Rs 1,700 per quintal.
The mill has been sealed,” Patra told reporters. The minister said that agents of rice millers have become active in districts where paddy has been harvested but procurement has not started. The millers have been exploiting farmers who are in need of money.
He said paddy procurement started from Bargarh district followed by Sambalpur. Other districts are now finalising dates to start the procurement operation for the current kharif marketing season (KMS). “I request farmers to wait for the procurement to start in their districts and bring their paddy to designated mandis on the appointed dates as the state government will buy their stock at Rs 3,100 per quintal,” Patra said.
The minister said strict action will also be taken against mill owners who violate the government instruction. The government will not only seal the errant mill but will also blacklist the firm from doing any business. He further said that field officers of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare and Cooperation departments have been tagged to mandis for monitoring the procurement operation.
Besides, officers have been named to supervise the paddy procurement. Arrangements like sheds and drinking water have been made at each PPC for the farmers and instructions have been issued to lift the paddy from farmers on the date which has been allotted through online token. CM Mohan Charan Majhi will disburse the additional assistance of Rs 800 per quintal of paddy at Sohela on December 8.
Farmers who have already sold their paddy at the minimum support price of Rs 2,300 will get the balance amount in one go..
