SAMBALPUR/BARGARH: The State Government on Thursday decided to procure paddy from market yards in both Sambalpur and Bargarh districts even without the centralised tokens.
The decision was taken after Rural Development Minister Susanta Singh and Deputy Government Chief Whip Rohit Pujari met farmers agitating under the banner of Sambalpur Zilla Krushak Surakhya Sangathan (SZKSS).
The agitators had blocked the NH-53 at Baraipali in Sambalpur city for three hours demanding withdrawal of the centralised token system on Thursday. With vehicular movement on the busy Mumbai-Kolkata highway coming to a standstill, Singh and Pujari rushed to the spot.
Singh said, the policy to procure paddy by generating centralised token has been formulated for the entire State and cannot be repealed. However, considering the demand of the farmers here, the Government made some relaxation.
SZKSS advisor Ashok Pradhan said apart from relaxing the token system guidelines, the Government also withdrew the per day restriction on sale of paddy for farmers. Moreover, the Minister also assured that the Government would write to the Centre and Food Corporation of India to increase the yield rate which was fixed at 19 quintal per acre for irrigated and 13 quintal for non-irrigated land.
Farmers of Bargarh, who had also blocked NH-53 at Godbhaga for around 10 hours over the same demand, called off their stir after Singh, Bargarh MLA Debesh Acharya and district officials held discussion with them.
With the stalemate over the new token system coming to an end, Sambalpur district administration began paddy procurement on Thursday afternoon. Paddy was procured from farmers who had the centralised token and those without it. However, the quantity of paddy procured from different markets yards the day is yet to be compiled.