JAGATSINGHPUR: Aggrieved over non-procurement of paddy and token lapse, irate farmers detained officials of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) across Naugaon, Biridi, Balikuda, Tirtol and other blocks of Jagatsinghpur district in last two days. Official sources said, nearly 8,000 tokens of farmers have lapsed in the district due to a shortage of millers.
Alleging that the callous attitude of the administration has led to the situation, the protestors are now demanding re-issuance of tokens else they will be compelled to opt for distress sale. In Biridi block, Civil Supplies department in January issued nearly 150 tokens to farmers for paddy sale in Alando PACS. However, they were unable to sell as no arrangements were put in place and the tokens expired after a month. The fact that no steps were taken to renew the tokens, only added to the resentment.
Farmers Bipin Rout, Dillip Swain, Sukant Behera and others said the process is delayed as district officials have not arranged adequate millers. “We staged dharna and detained the PACS staff to demand regeneration of tokens and procurement of paddy from the market yards,” they said.
Similarly, farmers in Naugaon block intensified their stir over the issue. In Deriki, they blocked the road and locked PACS officials, alleging that the administration is playing with their fate. They demanded fresh tokens to sell their paddy.
Secretary of Deriki PACS Ullash Chandra Jena confessed that the shortage of millers has delayed the procurement process. The PACS had issued nearly 211 tokens to farmers which have now lapsed and stoked anger among the community,” he added. Instances of farmers staging road blockade and agitations besides detaining PACS officials were reported from other blocks as well.
Contacted, district Civil Supplies Officer Sujata Mishra admitted that nearly 8,000 tokens lapsed and three lakh quintal paddy of farmers could not be procured. “Steps are being taken for assessment and renewal of tokens. These irregularities occurred due to negligence of cooperative officials and only 33 millers were pressed into service for the entire district,” she said.