JEYPORE: The farmers, whose names have been blocked in the Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) for registration to sell both paddy seeds and paddy, have urged the Civil Supply Department to revoke the decision. They claimed that they had registered in P-PAS with an aim of selling excess paddy and not minting money by selling both paddy seeds and grains.
As per reports, the Seeds Corporation office in Jeypore had asked seed growers of the district for supplying seeds of different paddy varieties for the ensuing Kharif season. As many as 314 seed growers registered their names with Odisha State Seeds Corporation Limited to provide seeds after harvesting of the crop. However, it was found that many of the farmers also registered their names in local LAMPS to sell their paddy stock though they had registered for supplying seeds.
As per procurement norms, a farmer can either sell paddy or seeds to Government agencies. Following allegations in this regard by a group of farmers, District Civil Supply Officer verified the names in both Odisha State Seeds Corporation Limited and P-PAS and found 199 farmers had registered for both selling seeds and paddy. Their names were immediately blocked in the P-PAS to prevent tokens being generated for procurement.
Farmers said the move was unjustified as the exact quantity of paddy available with them has not been ascertained by the Civil Supply Department authorities. They claimed that they had to register in the P-PAS to sell excess paddy that remained after production of paddy seeds.