Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government Friday approved the Food and Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), 2022-23 and set a target to procure 71 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of paddy.
The policy was approved at the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
The target is to procure 71 LMT of paddy which is equivalent to 48 LMT of rice. This includes procurement both during the kharif and rabi season, said chief secretary S C Mohapatra after the cabinet meeting.
While 57 LMT of paddy will be procured from registered farmers at the rate of the minimum support price during the kharif season, another 14 LMT of paddy to be procured during the rabi season, he said.
The procurement season would commence from November 1 and continue till June next year. “There is no bar for procurement of any higher quantum if more paddy comes to ‘mandis’ from registered farmers,” Mohapatra said.
Under the policy, the state’s Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister has been authorised to revise this target if the need arises, he said, adding that in KMS 2021-22, 71.03 LMT paddy was procured (both kharif and rabi included). In terms of rice, it was 48.08 LMT, he said.
Mohapatra said the rice obtained will be utilised in the state’s Public Distribution System (PDS) to meet the requirements under National Food Security Act, State Food Security Scheme, and other welfare schemes and the surplus rice will be delivered to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Paddy will be procured from farmers who are registered in the online portal of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department and Aadhaar will be the only ID proof for a registered farmer to sell paddy to the government. The sale of paddy is subject to Aadhaar based biometric identification, he said.
The chief secretary said the policy provisions say that small and marginal farmers will be accorded priority for sale of paddy to the government. A registered farmer can sell his entire surplus, as per approved yield rate, to government. This will facilitate entry of more small and marginal farmers into the procurement fold, he stated.
Paddy will be procured as per MSP declared by Government of India at a rate of Rs 2,040 per quintal for common variety and Rs 2,060 per quintal for Grade- A variety.
In another decision, the cabinet has approved the proposal to change the functional system in mining and geology administration under the Steel and Mines Department. “This is basically to make the field administration more efficient through effective supervision and control, to facilitate better coordination between Geology and Mining wing to achieve the target for geological exploration and mineral production and faster decision making”, the chief secretary said.
A Composite Directorate of Mines and Geology will be constituted in the state by merging both the Directorate of Mines and Directorate of Geology, he said, adding that the new Directorate of Mines and Geology will be headed by the Director, Mines and Geology from the IAS/IFS cadre to be assisted by four Additional Directors in the new composite heading Mining, Geology, Administration and Finance Wings.
This new administrative structure in the shape of a composite directorate shall facilitate sustainable mineral development through more effective and efficient mineral administration leading to augmentation of mineral revenue in the state, he added.
PTI