Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Surjya Narayan Patro on Tuesday warned of stringent action under the Essential Commodities (EC) Act of 1955 if any miller tries to purchase paddy from farmers at a price below the minimum support price (MSP).
He said this while briefing media after reviewing a preparatory meeting on Kharif paddy procurement at the Central Revenue Divisional Commission (RDC) office here.
“All those who will purchase paddy from farmers shall have to pay the MSP at `1,550 per quintal. We do not have any objection if someone pays more than the MSP. But if anybody tries to pay less, he will invite action as per the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act,” Patro said, adding that the farmers having accounts in cooperative banks would get their payments within 24 hours and others would get payments within three days.
Reviewing the arrangements of paddy procurement in all the ten districts coming under the Central Division, the Minister informed that the State Government has decided to procure 53 lakh tonnes of paddy during the current Kharif season and a quarter of this quantity would come from the districts of Cuttack, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Baleswar, Bhadrak, Khordha Puri and Nayagarh falling under the Central Division.
Around 20 lakh farmers of these districts have been registered so far; sources said, adding that efforts are being made to increase this number. like previous year, the entire procedure of paddy procurement this year would also be done through the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACSs) he meeting was also attended by Principal Secretaries Veer Bikram Yadav and Ranjana Chopra along with the Collectors of all ten districts. RDC DV Swamy called upon the Collectors to ensure that the paddy procurement that would continue till April 30 next is conducted in a very fair manner and without putting the farmers into trouble.