January 14, 2019
State Govt releases Rs 1,600 cr for paddy procurement from farmers
The Bangla Government has released Rs 1,600 crore to give a momentum to paddy procurement, taking the total amount for the purpose to Rs 5,100 crore since November last year.
The move is to ensure that maximum farmers get the minimum support price (MSP) offered by the State. While the government’s MSP for paddy is Rs 1,770 per quintal, the market price is hovering between Rs 1,400 and Rs 1,450.
The target is to procure 50 lakh tonnes of paddy by September 2019, said a senior government official. However, the government wants to buy the maximum quantum of paddy by February to ensure that no small farmer goes for distress sale. This is the reason for the release of Rs 1,600 crore now.
The State Government has also decided to involve more self-help groups and cooperative societies in the process to ensure that farmers do not need to travel long distances to sell their produce.
Moreover, the state has decided to issue account payee cheques to the farmers on the spot when they will visit a procurement centre to sell their produce.
