Odisha Government – The New Indian Express | Tech Reddy

By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: Amid opposition allegations of discrepancies in the online token system for paddy procurement, the state government has informed the Assembly that tokens have not been issued to around 3.4 lakh farmers for the sale of their surplus stock because they were not eligible for it.

Responding to a query by BJP MLA Nityananda Gond, Minister for Food and Consumer Welfare Ranendra Pratap Swain said that 14,99,942 farmers have registered their names for selling their surlpus paddy below the minimum support price (MSP ) in the 2020-21 kharif marketing season. The tokens were issued to 11,91,120 eligible farmers and more than 62.89 lakh tonnes of paddy purchased by them. But, 3,08,882 farmers were not found eligible for issuing tokens.

During the rabi marketing season, 2,33,006 farmers registered their names under the paddy procurement automation system (P-PAS) and 2,03,527 of them were found eligible. The government purchased 14.43 lakh paddy from them under MSP. The highest 43,246 farmers of Ganjam district did not sell their paddy under the price support system followed by 24,925 in Puri. Despite record procurement of paddy of over 84.11 lakh tonnes in the State, farmers of Kalahandi, Nuapada, Keonjar and Balasore districts had hit the roads and blocked roads demanding the state government to buy their stock .

</p> <p>BHUBANESWAR: Amid opposition allegations of discrepancies in the online token system for paddy procurement, the state government has informed the Assembly that tokens have not been issued to around 3.4 lakh farmers for the sale of their surplus stock because they were not eligible for it. Responding to a query by BJP MLA Nityananda Gond, Minister for Food and Consumer Welfare Ranendra Pratap Swain said that 14,99,942 farmers have registered their names for selling their surlpus paddy below the minimum support price (MSP ) in the 2020-21 kharif marketing season. The tokens were issued to 11,91,120 eligible farmers and more than 62.89 lakh tonnes of paddy purchased by them. But, 3,08,882 farmers were not found eligible for issuing tokens. During the rabi marketing season, 2,33,006 farmers registered their names under the paddy procurement automation system (P-PAS) and 2,03,527 of them were found eligible. The government purchased 14.43 lakh paddy from them under MSP. The highest 43,246 farmers of Ganjam district did not sell their paddy under the price support system followed by 24,925 in Puri. Despite record procurement of paddy of over 84.11 lakh tonnes in the State, farmers of Kalahandi, Nuapada, Keonjar and Balasore districts had hit the roads and blocked roads demanding the state government to buy their stock .<br />