SAMBALPUR: Procurement of kharif paddy kicked off in Sambalpur district on Friday amid high hopes as farmers are set to receive enhanced MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal for their produce.
This year, the district has been given a target of procuring 30.68 lakh quintal of kharif paddy. For the ongoing kharif season, while as many as 59,895 farmers had registered for the procurement process, 59,818 have cleared verification to sell their produce.
The paddy will be procured at 129 purchase centres and market yards in the district. Similarly, at least 45 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Sized Agricultural Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS) besides 14 women self-help groups will aid in the procurement process.
While mandis in Dhankauda, Jujomura, Maneswar, Rengali blocks were opened on the day, procurement was done only in Dhankauda and Maneswar. Around 4,198 bags of paddy was procured from 29 farmers in the two blocks.
While the procurement started at a slow pace, complaints of token irregularities were received from several farmers. Sources said, arrangements have been made to ensure middlemen do not exploit farmers and are completely left out of the process.
Similarly, farmer have been ensured that they would not have to face any deduction (katni chhatni) from this season. While squads have been deployed in each mandi, CCTV have been installed for monitoring. Nodal officers have also been designated for different mandis. This apart, tarpaulin, seating and drinking water arrangements have been made at the mandis.
However, despite repeated assurances by the district administration, the farmers of the district seemed skeptical on the first day due to lack of any visible change at the mandis. Farmer leader, Ashok Pradhan said, “As long as the process is not decentralised, and the DLPC not given the responsibility of managing the process, the farmers will continue to remain affected in some way or the other way”.