BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to ensure that farmers get minimum support price for kharif paddy and prevent them from exploitation of private traders, the state government has identified 150 women self-help groups (SHGs) to procure paddy in nine districts.
The women SHGs have been provided the necessary training for online procurement under P-PAS. “Members of the women SHGs have been properly trained how to check the quality of paddy under FAQ norms and maintain records,” said Food Supplies Minister R P Swain.
The women SHGs will procure paddy in major paddy producing districts of Bargarh, Balangir, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nuapara, Sambalpur and Subarnapur. Paddy procurement for kharif season has already started from November 1 and will continue till March 31, 2020.
A decision to involve 150 women SHGs was taken after its success in Kalahandi district during the last kharif marketing season (KMS), he said
The Minister said 12.35 lakh farmers have registered under P-PAS to sell their paddy to government agencies under the price support system. The bank accounts of these farmers have been linked to their Aadhaar numbers to ensure that they get their dues within the stipulated time of 48 hours maximum.
Swain said the paddy procurement centres across the state were operating according to the guidelines and instructions laid down by the state government and farmers don’t need to wait for miller trucks at the mandis for hauling up their stocks.
The mandis (market yard/procurement centres) will remain open even if farmers do not turn up to sell their produce. The farmers will be given adequate time to bring their paddy to the mandis at their convenience for sale, he added.
The government has decided to procure 60 lakh tonne of paddy including 10 lakh tonne of rabi crops.