BHUBANESWAR: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Thursday expressed serious concern over the slow lifting of rice from the state by Food Corporation of India (FCI), saying the delay was causing serious difficulties in paddy procurement operations.
Addressing the 47th Foundation Day function of the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation here, Patra expressed his displeasure over FCI’s failure to lift rice as per the targets fixed by it.
“FCI sometimes pushes us into very difficult situation. It had given us a target to lift a certain quantity of rice but it has still not been lifted. I have repeatedly visited Delhi and raised the issue with the Union minister,” Patra said.
“This one problem is hurting us and I say this in the presence of the FCI general manager. Odisha is not worried about increasing paddy production. It is concerned about the failure of FCI to lift the custom-milled rice on time,” he added.
Patra said Odisha was spending around Rs 30,000 crore on paddy procurement and ensuring that farmers were paid within 48 hours. However, if the procured paddy could not be converted into rice and the stocks were not lifted, the state would face difficulties in continuing procurement. “Our hands are getting tied. If the rice is not lifted, it will become difficult to procure paddy,” he said. The minister said he would once again lead a high-level team to Delhi to press for faster lifting of rice from Odisha. “We have sent 20 members to Lok Sabha and deserve the right to place our demand before the Centre,” he said.
Patra praised the Civil Supplies Corporation for acting as a bridge between farmers and the government. He said the corporation had taken steps to ensure timely paddy procurement and prompt payment to farmers, besides ensuring timely distribution of ration under food security schemes, he added.