Odisha government today fixed a procurement target of 45 lakh metric tonne of paddy during kharif season this year in the midst of drought condition in 139 blocks of the state.
"The government has set a procurement target of 45 lakh mt of paddy this year. About 50 per cent of the target would be procured from the northern revenue districts of the state. The government will spend Rs 6,500 crore on it," Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma told PTI from Sambalpur.
Collectors of 12 districts have been directed to ensure that there was no distress sale of paddy, the minister said adding the farmers would be paid online for their produce.
Dasburma said he would hold two more rounds of meetings at Berhampur and Cuttack on November 6 and 7 respectively to discuss matters relating to paddy procurement and direct money transfer to the farmers' bank accounts.
The state government had earlier decided to open 3,000 paddy procurement centres across the state where procurement would begin starting November 15 for kharif season.
It was also decided to introduce 100 more paddy procurement automation system for transferring payments directly to farmers' accounts following the sale.
Now the farmers in 160 blocks would get payment online for selling their paddy.
