Even as media reports pour in from across the State how farmers are facing problems at paddy procurement centres (Mandis), Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday asked concerned authorities to expedite paddy procurement and make online payments promptly to farmers.
The Chief Minister issued this direction while chairing a review meeting at the State Secretariat on Friday, said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma.Dashburma told reporters that the Chief Minister has also directed the officials to make cheque payments immediately to farmers in case online system develops a snag. Besides, the Chief Minister also ordered to take action against unscrupulous traders and millers.
Notably, paddy procurement in 118 market yards of the Regulated Market Committees (RMC) of Bargarh, Atabira and Padampur in Barhargh district was stalled due to online flaws, as a result of which lakhs of paddy bags are lying under the open sky in the market yards for 10-15 days.
Similarly, farmers in some pockets of Nabarangpur and Koraput districts are yet to sell their paddy as the Government has not fulfilled their demand of paddy procurement limits for both irrigate and non-irrigated lands.