MALKANGIRI: Deputy chief minister KV Singh Deo inaugurated the kharif paddy procurement process for 2024-25 at the regulated market committee (RMC) complex here on Monday.
Singh Deo, who also holds the Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment portfolio, tested the paddy quality with the help of grain analyser at the RMC yard in presence of district officials and millers.
Addressing mediapersons, the minister said Malkangiri has been given the target to procure 9,23,850.74 quintal of paddy in 2024-25. “As promised by the state government, we are giving an input assistance of Rs 800 per quintal of paddy in addition to the minimum support price of Rs 2,300 per quintal,” he said.
Copies of the results of paddy quality tests will be handed over to farmers and millers at the procurement centre. CCTV cameras have been installed in all the 70 procurement centres in the district. Singh Deo said there will be no ‘katni-chhatni’ by millers on the pretext of moisture content in fair average quality (FAQ) paddy within the permissible limit of 17 per cent. Farmers will be asked to bring their paddy back to mandis after drying if the moisture limit is above 17 per cent.
The minister admitted that the Agriculture department couldn’t procure adequate grain analysers this season. The existing analysers will be shared by procurement centres. Urging farmers not to sell their paddy outside, he asked the district administration to ensure hassle-free procurement of paddy.
District civil supplies officer (CSO) Manmohan Pattnaik said 27 millers and nine women self-help groups will take part in the procurement process. At least 36,808 farmers of the district have been found eligible to sell their paddy. Seven check posts have been set up in the bordering areas with deployment of camera-mounted vehicles to keep a watch on movement of paddy from the district to outside.
Among others, Nabarangpur MP Balabhadra Majhi, Malkangiri MLA Narasinga Madkami, collector Asish Iswar Patil and sub-collector Duryodhan Bhoi were present.
On the day, Chitrakonda MLA Mangu Khilla inaugurated the paddy procurement centres at Salimi, Mekka, Ambaguda and Chaulmendi panchayats in Mathili block.
