BHAWANIPATNA: At least 74 primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) of Kalahandi district are facing problems in procuring paddy from farmers for the kharif season due to financial constraints.The PACS are entitled to market fee of `30.53 out of the minimum support price for each quintal of paddy. The amount is paid by Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited. However, the societies have not been paid the fee since 2018-19. This has affected hiring of temporary manpower at paddy purchase centres.
Similarly, the societies have also not received funds for engaging labourers at mandis since 2017-18. The PACS are paying the wages of labourers from their own resources or from credit availed through cooperative banks.
President of Kalampur PACS Sankarsan Behera said earlier the PACS used to deposit muster role of labourers with Central Cooperative Bank and they were reimbursed the labour charges and mandi commission. However, now the societies have been asked to submit the muster roll to the civil supplies office. In the absence of financial assistance, the societies are managing the procurement process from their own resources.
However, deputy registrar of cooperative societies Pramod Kumar Sahu said the market fee of the societies is settled by OSCSC. As the societies have not submitted their claims with the muster role of labourers as required by the corporation, they were not reimbursed for their expenses. “The PACS have been directed to submit their claims along with muster role to avail the arrear mandi labour cost,” he said.