THANJAVUR: Tenders have been floated by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) for the construction of permanent buildings for 20 Direct Paddy Procurement Centres (DPC) across the district. As of now, the DPCs operate out of rented spaces.
According to officials, permanent buildings for DPCs would be coming up at Tiruchitrambalam, Senthakadu, Mahadevapuram, Naduvikkottai, 28 Nemmeli (Pattukkottai Taluk), Unjiyaviduthi, Karukkakkottai, Neduvakkottai, Chinnaponnappur, Kannukudi (west) (Orathanadu taluk), Gopurajapuram, Melakorukkapattu (Papanasam taluk), Veerayankottai, Kazhanivasal, Periyanayagipuram (Peravurani), Palayappatti (south) (Budalur taluk), Valamarkottai, Kuruvadipatti (Thanjavur taluk), Uthamathani and Kumarankudi (Kumbakonam).
"The 20 new buildings would take the count of permanent DPCs in Thanjavur district from 180 to 200," an official told TNIE. During the peak of procurement, as many as 538 DPCs, including the ones operating out of rented buildings, function in the district.
Welcoming the move, R Sukumaran, a farmer from Orathandu, pointed out its necessity, particularly in places like Kannukudi west which witnesses a footfall of thousands of bags every procurement season. "If permanent DPCs are in place, up to 2,000 bags could be stored safely under the sheds," Sukumaran said.
S Chandrakumar, the General Secretary of TNCSC employees' union (AITUC), echoing similar views, said the buildings could be used for the procurement of pulses like black gram during off-seasons. It could be rented out to farmers from other villages during off-seasons, Chandrakumar added.