The State Government on Monday refuted the Opposition allegation that black-listed companies have been entrusted to supply certified seeds to the farmers for the rabi crops.
Replying to the discussion on supplementary demand of Agriculture Department, Agriculture Minister Debi Prasad Mishra said seeds procurement was done through tender process in most transparent manner.
He dismissed the Opposition Congress allegation of engaging non-government organisations (NGOs) for SRI (System of Rice Intensification) method of rice cultivation.
Initiating the discussion, Anup Sai of Congress alleged that certain NGOs are paid handsomely for teaching SRI method of rice cultivation to the farmers. The Government is wasting money on the NGOs which have no expertise in the new method of rice cultivation, he added.
He also charged the Government for awarding contract to blacklisted trading firms for supply of seeds.
Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said a blacklisted firm of Kolkata supplied groundnut seeds and another firm from Hyderabad supplied maize seeds which failed to germinate.
Asserting that the Government has achieved significant growth in agriculture production, the Minister said the State has achieved self-sufficiency in paddy production and made a record procurement of rice during the last kharif season.
The seed replacement rate (SRR) of the State is 22 per cent and the Department has set a target to reach 33 per cent. Farmers have been motivated to take up large scale fruit crop plantation in cluster approach and the department has encouraged farmers to take up kharif cultivation of potato and onion. The prospects of kharif cultivation are promising in districts like Koraput and Kandhamal for potato and Boudh and Balangir for onion.
He claimed that the area under potato and onion cultivation is increasing with supply of high yield varieties.