Bhubaneswar: Odisha government will no longer procure any paddy from the farmers during the current Rabi season, Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain has said.
The government Saturday clarified that it would not procure paddy from farmers after the lapse of time fixed by the central government.
The minister’s statement assumed much significance as the opposition BJP had launched a statewide agitation July 1 and 2 last demanding renewal of the taken already lapsed and procure paddy from all registered farmers.
The BJP activists along with the farmers sat on dharna in front of Block offices and offices of the Civil Supply office alleging irregularities and mismanagement in paddy procurement.
They demanded the government to renew the token already lapsed. The government had fixed June 30 as the last date for procurement of paddy during the current Rabi season.
The BJP MLAs had urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to extend the time for paddy procurement period till July 15 next.
Swain dubbed the BJP’s agitation as their political compulsion and questioned why did the BJP resort to agitation in all the 30 districts when e Rabi crop is grown only in 17 districts.
Swain said this year 91 per cent of the paddy has been procured against 83 per cent during the Rabi season last year.
UNI