BHUBANESHWAR: Even as the State Government is yet to finalise food and procurement policy, the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department today said paddy procurement will start from October 1.
The decision was taken after consultation with farmers representatives from all the 30 districts here today.
The department has not been able to issue operational guidelines for paddy procurement as the food and procurement policy for 2016-17 kharif marketing season (KMS) is not finalised.
The proposed paddy procurement policy for the ensuing KMS beginning from October 1 is under active consideration of the state government. After government approval the same will be sent to state cabinet, official sources said.
Presiding over a meeting of farmer's representatives here today, Minister of State for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Sanjay Dasbarma sought their cooperation for smooth operation of paddy procurement.
The Minister said steps have been taken well in advance to ensure that problems encountered during paddy procurement last year did not occur this time.
The meeting discussed issues including extension of time for online registration of farmers, time payment to farmers, revision of paddy production limit both in irrigation and non-irrigated land, infrastructure development of mandis (market yards), Aadhar seeding and procurement of paddy from share croppers.
The meeting further decided that three meetings will be held at the RDC ( Revenue Divisional Commissioner) level to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.
Principal Secretary of the department Pradipta Mohapatra informed the farmers about various steps taken by the government to mitigate the problems faced by the farmers during paddy procurement.