Paddy purchase picks pace amid technical hurdles

ROURKELA: Amid impact of demonetisation, opening of bank accounts of farmers linked to cooperative bodies is underway and paddy procurement has picked up momentum but problems for the farmers are far from over.

The procurement began on December 15 and so far, 25,000 tonnes of paddy have been procured against the target of 89,000 tonnes.

But, it is feared that the procurement process may be disrupted due to technical reasons. The rice mills in the district are allowed to procure paddy in strict accordance to online generated Miller Authority Slips and Society Authority Slips and once the security deposits of the rice mills get exhausted, they would be required to deposit extra security money.

But, majority of 14 authorised rice mills in the district are unwilling to deposit extra security money due to cash crunch and in such a situation, procurement may be disrupted in next five to six days.

Moreover, procurement authorities are facing problems in transferring sale proceeds to farmers’ bank accounts in some areas after total digitisation of the process.

They informed that failure to update the database of farmers in time, disruption in Internet connectivity and frequent power disruptions are delaying online payments to farmers in remote pockets of Koida, Gurundia and Hemgir blocks. The procurement authorities also face the trouble in integrating Bhulek database of about 8,500 farmers, whose land records were mismatching and efforts were taken to remove anomalies.

Civil Supplies Officer A Pradhan said procurement is going on smoothly and asserted to sort out the security amount issue of rice millers in consultation with the district administration.

Meanwhile, Sundargarh District Cooperative Bank Ltd (SDCCBL) through its 16 rural branches has intensified opening of bank accounts of farmers linked to 44 Large and Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPSs) in the district. Subsequent to demonetisation, LAMPSs were restricted from rendering banking services to member farmers.

SDCCBL Chief Executive Officer AN Mohanty informed that from December 19, about 7,000 bank accounts were opened with about 800 farmers getting new SDCCBL accounts daily. There is no complaint regarding paddy procurement, he added.

The procurement would continue till March through 112 Paddy Purchase Centres (PPCs), including 44 LAMPSs, and about 25,600 farmers have availed online registrations.