Members across party lines on Saturday expressed concerns in the State Assembly that paddy procurement is not going on properly in the State and, hence, farmers are being forced to go in for distress sale.
However, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Kumar Dasburma, who replied to the questions of the members during the Question Hour, refuted the charge, saying the procurement process is going on satisfactorily and farmers are being paid directly through their bank accounts.
While many members alleged that paddy is piled up at mandis for days, the Minster said more than 30 lakh tonne of paddy have been procured from at mandis across the State so far this season and Rs 4,579 crore has been deposited in bank account of farmers.
While the Government has set a target to procure 30 lakh tonnes of paddy by April end, 31,14,789 metric tonne of paddy has already been procured till date. He informed that the paddy procurement was done in 294 blocks as per the P-Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) mechanism.
He informed that farmers are still registering names to sell their paddy in Government Mandis.
Members like Kailash Chandra Kulesika and Tara Prasad Bahinipti (Cong), Dr Bibuti Bhushan Harichandan (BJP) and Pratap Jena, Ranendra Pratap Swain and Dibya Sankar Mishra participated.