BHUBANESWAR: Amid the ongoing deadlock in the Assembly over alleged mismanagement of paddy procurement, Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari on Monday appealed the Opposition to engage in constructive dialogue as the government is open to suggestions for enhancing efficiency in the system.
As the House witnessed disruption for the sixth consecutive day, Pujari, addressing a media conference said, that the government remains firmly committed to safeguarding the dignity and interests of farmers.
Stating that the government is guided by the vision of “Sashakta Chashi-Samruddha Odisha,” the minister said initial pressure in mandis arose due to increased farmer registration, expansion of cultivated land and a shift towards paddy cultivation following input assistance support.
He acknowledged certain infrastructural gaps, including storage constraints in some areas but maintained that these challenges reflect growing trust among farmers in the procurement system. In order to address these issues, the government has launched 973 infrastructure development works in mandis across the state, of which 212 have been completed and 466 are nearing completion.
Plans are also underway to establish 100 model mandis and construct warehouses with a capacity of five lakh metric tonne to ensure long-term stability in procurement operations, he said.
Pujari emphasised that paddy procurement is being conducted in a transparent and orderly manner, with no delay in lifting stocks or transferring payments to farmers. The token system, he said, has been streamlined and implemented in phases, prioritising small and marginal farmers before extending coverage to all eligible cultivators.
Highlighting achievements, the minister said the state procured over 92.64 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of paddy in KMS 2024-25, benefitting around 19.73 lakh farmers. With MSP assistance and additional support under the Samruddha Krushak Yojana, farmers are receiving `3,100 per quintal. Nearly `28,719 crore has been directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts through DBT, marking a record disbursement.
In comparison, he noted that during KMS 2023-24, a total of 70.88 LMT had been procured across kharif and rabi seasons, benefitting 15.32 lakh farmers. In the ongoing KMS 2025-26, 63.46 LMT has already been procured, covering over 14.83 lakh farmers, with procurement set to continue till March 31.