Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday said the state will buy paddy from farmers with an additional input subsidy of Rs 800 per quintal of the crop against the minimum support price of Rs 2,300 per quintal.

The hike in MSP in paddy procurement to Rs 3,100 per quintal was one of the major poll promises made by the BJP during the 2024 twin polls. Meanwhile the government has decided to commence procurement of paddy from farmers for the kharif season 2024 from the third week of November.

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Addressing a function marking ‘All India Cooperative Week 2024′ celebration, Majhi said taking a swipe at former CM Naveen Patnaik said “former CM (Naveen Patnaik), at a farmers’ rally at Sohela in Bargarh district 9 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 Re 1 as a bonus from the government. As a result some farmers in the State were forced to commit suicide under debt burden during the BJD government,” he said.

Now the farmers will get additional Rs 800 per quintal of paddy as input assistance as Odisha farmers are often affected by calamities such as floods, cyclones, drought, dry spells and pest attacks, 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”, Majhi said taking targeting the former CM Patnaik.

“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 government will organize 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.

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 2300 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.

A senior official elaborating the paddy procurement process said officials would be deployed at the marketing yards till completion of the process and they would report to the government on a daily basis through a dedicated portal. Besides, each mandi will have a quality testing machine to check the fair average quality of the harvested paddy coming for sale.

Patrolling teams have been deployed in border districts to ensure that paddy from neighbouring states does not enter Odisha for sale in the mandis during the procurement period, added the officials.