Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 1 (ANI): The Odisha Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday approved the food and procurement policy for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2022-23, to regulate all aspects of paddy and rice procurement, as per a statement from the state government.
The Kharif Marketing Season will commence from October 1, 2022, and conclude on September 30, 2023.
The State government has targeted to procure 71 lakh Metric Tonne (LMT) paddy in KMS 2022-23, expected to mill 48 lakh Metric Tonne of rice in this season, for Kharif, the tentative target for procurement of paddy would be 57 lakh MT and for Rabi 14 lakh MT.
There is no bar for procurement of any higher quantum if more paddy comes to mandies from registered farmers.
The State Government will procure paddy from registered farmers by payment of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) declared by the Government of India.
The Payment of farmers’ dues on account of paddy sold to the Government will be transferred directly to their bank accounts through online mode within 24 to 48 hours of the sale of paddy, the statement read.
The state government will give priority to Small and marginal farmers to sale the paddy to Government.
Paddy will be milled into rice by Custom Millers appointed for the purpose. The rice so obtained will be utilised in State’s Public Distribution System (PDS) to meet 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). The surplus rice is evacuated by FCI to deficit States.
Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) will procure paddy in all districts. Odisha requires 22 LMT of rice annually for its PDS. Surplus rice will be delivered to Central Pool through the Food Corporation of India, it added. (ANI)
