BHAWANIPATNA: Keeping the approaching paddy procurement for the current kharif season in mind, the district administration started gearing up to address the millers’ concerns over pending arrears on labour charges and non-supply of gunny bags.
Collector Parag Harshad Gavali chaired a district-level paddy procurement committee meeting through video conferencing.
It was decided to engage 166 primary agriculture cooperative Societies (PACS), 35 women SHGs and 70 eligible custom millers. There will be 201 paddy procurement centres (mandis) and adequate infrastructure to prevent distress sale.
The millers’ representatives were absent in the meeting though they had submitted a memorandum to the administration on problems faced by them which include pending dues, non-supply of gunny bags and low transport costs.
They alleged that `4.68 crore of mandi labour charge from 2015-16 to 2019-20 is pending with Odisha State Civil Supply Corporation (OSCSC) apart from arrears of `30 crore for the millers. The corporation has also allegedly not supplied new gunny bags for custom milled rice whereas millers had to meet deadlines. This had posed problems for millers as rates of gunny bags by OSCSC are way below the market price.
Among others, Opposition Leader Pradipta Naik, Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra, farmers, ADM, sub collectors of Dharamgarh and Bhawanipatna and Civil Supply officials participated.