Odisha minister RP Swain orders probe into delay in issue of token for paddy sale 

The Minister’s directive came in the wake of complaints from farmers of Sambalpur about delay in distribution of tokens leading to distress sale of paddy.
Odisha Consumer Welfare Minister RP Swain (File Photo| EPS)
Odisha Consumer Welfare Minister RP Swain (File Photo| EPS)

BHUBANESWAR: Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the distribution of online tokens to farmers for sale of their surplus paddy under minimum support price (MSP) during the current kharif marketing season.

The Minister’s directive came in the wake of complaints from farmers of Sambalpur about delay in distribution of tokens leading to distress sale of paddy. Claiming that paddy procurement is going on smoothly, Swain said token has already been generated in favour of 51,371 out of the 53,147 registered farmers in the district since a week.

He added that the rest of the tokens will be generated shortly. He said those farmers who have registered themselves online are being provided the tokens in alphabetical order. There are no irregularities in the system as everything has been streamlined.

The Minister had also informed that out of the targeted procurement of 71 lakh tonne, around 79,000 tonne of paddy have already been procured from three western Odisha districts of Bargarh, Sambalpur and Kalahandi in the last three days.Over 14.97 lakh farmers have registered themselves online for the procurement this year.    

President of State BJP Kishan Morcha Pradip Purohit accused the government of deliberately delaying issue of tokens to farmers to benefit rice millers.

Though around 80 per cent crops have been harvested and mandis have been opened since November 9, the government agencies have procured only about 80,000 tonne. The MSP for fair average quality (FAQ) of paddy has been fixed at Rs 1,868 per quintal and Rs 1,888 per quintal for Grade-A variety paddy.
 

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