Setting up a target of procuring 4 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year, Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Saryu Roy on Thursday launched ‘e-Uparjan’ software though which only those farmers will be able to sell off their produce who have already registered themselves with it. Talking to media persons at Project Building in Ranchi, Roy said that only 2.5 metric tonnes of paddy were procured last year.
“The process of registration is still on and more than 50,000 farmers have already registered themselves with it till date, which are being verified by competent authorities. Through this system, the farmers will get information though SMS that on which date they need to come at the said centre with their produce for procurement,” said Roy. The farmers will be called for procurement after three days of receiving SMS, he added.
“Paddy, this year is being procured at the rate of `1,600 per quintal including a bonus of `130 per quintal at 320 procurement centers all over the state having one or two centers in each of the blocks,” said the minister. Procurement will be done from December 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 all over the State, he added.
The Minister further added that the procurement in the three divisions – Palamu, South Chhotanagpur and Kolhan will be done by Food Corporation of India and its authorised private player NCMl while the procurement process in North Chhotanagpur will be done through NACOF except in Ramgarh where it was being done by State Food Corporation itself under decentralized procurement system.
“District Supply Officer of Ramgarh has been appointed nodal officer for smooth procurement,” said the Minister.
The Minister also ensured that payment to the farmers will be done within 7 days of procurement through RTGS or NEFT if the quality of paddy delivered by them were found up to the mark.
“This time CMR system has also been launched according to which the millers will first provide rice in the same quantity they want to lift from the said procurement centre,” he said. This system will ensure no dues are left with the millers not posing any problem of recovery in future, the Minister added.