Collectors in Odisha asked to monitor paddy procurement to prevent supply from C’garh

Bhubaneswar: The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department has written to the Collectors of Bargarh, Sambalpur, Balangir, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh and Nabarangpur districts asking them to keep an eye on paddy procurement process so that unscrupulous traders could not supply paddy procured from Chhattisgarh into the procurement system of Odisha. The Kharif paddy procurement will begin in the eight districts of Odisha from second week of November, 2020.

The letter has asked the Collectors of the eight districts to ensure paddy is procured from registered farmers as per tokens issued in their favour.

Also, the Collectors have been directed to ensure that unauthorized paddy sourced from the neighbouring State does not enter the premises of procuring societies or groups in the eight districts of Odisha.

District-level squads or sub-divisional squads may be activated and asked to conduct periodic checks in the field to keep an eye on unscrupulous traders bringing paddy from Chhattisgarh, the letter has read.

Action must be taken against traders/millers/persons engaged in illegal activities as per appropriate provisions of law.

The letter has further asked the Collectors to see that the benefit of MSP for the paddy does not go to unauthorized entities under any circumstances.