BHUBANESWAR: Faced with criticism from different quarters over rotting paddy stocks at mandis due to lack of proper storage facilities, the Odisha government has decided to create and strengthen infrastructure at all paddy procurement centres across the State.
As decided at a recent high-level meeting, basic infrastructure such as raised platforms, roof structures, paddy godowns will be constructed at each paddy procurement centre.The Cooperation department has been entrusted to carry out the assessment of the requirements and expenditure details at the earliest so that the construction works can be initiated immediately.
While the regulated market committee (RMC) will utilise the development fee realised from the paddy procurement, the Primary Agricultural Co-operative Societies (PACS) and the Large-sized Adivasi Multipurpose Co-operative Societies (LAMCS) will utilise the fund received from the paddy procurement commission for the infrastructure at mandis.
Panchayat Samiti of the respective RMC, PACS and LAMCS will execute the projects under the supervision of the Odisha State Agricultural Marketing Board. Technical approval for such construction will be made by the authorised technical person available in the district rural development agency.
Although an adequate number of market yards/paddy procurement centres is provided to farmers at a very reasonable distance for ease of selling their surplus paddy, the available infrastructure is found to be inadequate due to increase in arrival of paddy in mandis during procurement season.
With the State witnessing high growth in paddy procurement and facing new challenges during procurement operations every year, the advent of unseasonal rain and other adverse climatic conditions only make things worse. Farmers suffer as paddy sacks get damaged due to delay in lifting of stocks.
A Cooperation department official said deputy registrar of co-operative societies will be authorised to file requisition with the tehsildar concerned for alienation of suitable government land in favour of the department for construction of raised platform, roof structures and godowns where no such facility is available.
“Collectors will be empowered to approve the plan and estimate for works to be undertaken by the RMCs, PACS and LAMCS irrespective of the value of the project,” he added. Odisha has procured 57.22 lakh metric tonne of paddy from 12.92 lakh farmers, including 10.92 lakh small and marginal farmers, through around 2500 mandis in 30 districts this kharif season.