Bhubaneswar: Holding the previous BJD government "responsible" for the "miseries" of farmers in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said that the state government will now pay an additional Rs 800 per quintal of paddy to cultivators. Farmers will get the additional Rs 800 per quintal of paddy as input assistance as Odisha farmers are often affected by different calamities like floods, cyclones, drought, dry spells and pest attacks, Majhi said while addressing a function marking 'All India Cooperative Week 2024' celebration.
The chief minister came down heavily on the previous BJD government and accused it of "betraying" the trust of Odisha farmers. "Former chief minister (Naveen Patnaik) at a farmers rally at Sohela in Bargarh district nine years ago had announced a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy. This could have been very helpful for poverty-stricken farmers. But, the farmers did not get even Rs 1 as a bonus from the government", Majhi said.
Majhi alleged that some of the farmers in the state were forced to commit suicide under the debt burden during the BJD government. However, this situation will not occur in Odisha under the BJP government, he claimed, adding that now the farmers of Odisha will get Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy.
He said: "We will give Rs 800 per quintal to farmers on December 8 at the same place (Sohela) where former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had unsuccessfully announced to give Rs 100 as bonus per quintal of paddy".
"These Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy comprise Rs 2,300 as the minimum support price (MSP) and an additional Rs 800 as input assistance. The BJP in its election manifesto had promised Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy for Odisha farmers", Majhi said, and added that the BJP government in its first Cabinet meeting had approved this proposal.
The chief minister also said that the government will host a state-level farmers' convention on December 8 at Sohela in Bargarh district, where farmers will be assured an additional Rs 800 per quintal. This additional payment, along with the MSP, will be transferred directly to farmers' bank accounts within 48 hours via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), he said.
Majhi said that the kharif paddy procurement will commence from Bargarh district on November 20 followed by Sambalpur on November 22, and then across all districts. From November 20 to December 7, farmers will receive a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2,300 per quintal for their paddy.
Later from December 8, they will get the additional amount of Rs 800 after it was launched from Sohela in Bargarh district.
This apart, the government has launched information and awareness programmes to inform small and marginal farmers about the paddy procurement process. Special measures, including deployment of grain analyzers, quality analysts, and mandi supervisors at procurement centres, have been implemented, an official release issued by the CMO said.
According to officials, the government will start token distribution to farmers from November 15, with an option for District Collectors to extend the token period by up to seven days, if necessary.
The chief minister asked district collectors to monitor areas bordering neighbouring states to prevent unauthorised entry of paddy from outside Odisha. For this, additional measures including enhanced patrolling have been introduced in border areas, officials said.
"We will take stringent action against the people who create disturbance in the paddy procurement process. Jharpada jail is there for the disturbing elements in the cooperative societies. The government is keeping a close eye on these disturbing elements and it will not spare them," the chief minister said.
