Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, June 11:

The Odisha government has decided to extend Paddy Procurement Automation System (P-PAS) to an additional 100 blocks in the state during Kharif season 2015-16.

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The system is being extended to high procuring blocks of various districts to maintain transparency, efficiency, accuracy and timely flow of fund to farmers in the state.

The system was first introduced in 60 blocks during the Kharif season in 2014-15.

The decision to extend the system to 100 more blocks was taken at a high level meeting held here under the chairmanship of chief secretary G C Pati on Wednesday which assessed the success of the P-PAS during 2014-15 Kharif season. The decision will take the coverage of P PAS to 160 blocks and account for 90 percent of paddy procurement in the state..

The chief secretary directed officials of the Food Supply and Consumer Welfare department to simplify paddy procurement procedures and take steps for rectification of anomalies noticed last year.

Pati asked the department to train employees of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in registration of farmers and advised linking of Aadhaar numbers with registration number of farmers during paddy procurement. Farmers not having Aadhaar numbers have been asked to get themselves registered at the registration centres opened in tehsil offices.

It was revealed at the meeting that the P-PAS system has been more transparent and has made payment to farmers within a definite time period possible. In 2014-15, paddy was procured from 2.29 lakh farmers in 60 blocks using the system. It was 49 percent of the total paddy procured.

Statistics made available at the meeting revealed a total of 44, 15,230 tonnes of paddy has been procured through six agencies by June 1. Out of this, 42, 13,918 tonnes has been procured by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation. In comparison to last year, 25 percent more paddy has been procured in this Kharif season.

While 1.73 lakh farmers have registered for getting their produce procured during the Rabi season by the end of June 1, three lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured from them.