Raipur: Because of the high price of paddy this season, farmers are trying their best to sell their full paddy bedding as per their registered produced acreage. This has become a serious challenge to the state government insofar as paddy procurement is concerned. In response, the administration has directed procuring committees to convince farmers to voluntarily give up a percentage of the registered farmland. It began with this strategy, which, in line with the media reports, has recorded success and has accrued the most benefits to the government.
To date, 5,40,970 farmers from the state have cubic transferred 1, 10,09,927 acres of registered land. This move has helped the government to save a great deal of money, namely ₹658.15 crore. The government had earlier raised both the minimum procurement price (MPP) for paddy and the qualifying acreage under this programme and this had made farmers compete to supply their entire produce. Political pressures have, however, been relieved by the new measures to procurement.
This will be the first time in the procurement records of paddy in the state. Normally, farmers delivered paddy at the procurement centres equal to their recorded area, though they procured the rest from other sources. Nevertheless, due to increased scrutiny in this area and the increased pressure on committees to prevent these vices, farmers have had to withdraw parts of the acreage under their registration, thus leaving no place for middlemen and brokers.
The initiative has positively affected Bilaspur and other related districts, including Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi, Janjgir-Champa, Korba, Mungeli, and Sakti. Here, 1,38,306 farmers have relinquished 12,105 acres of the registered land. If paddy is procured at the rate of 21 quintals per acre, it would be 2,54,205 quintals, which costs the government only ₹78.80 crore, where the price is ₹ 3,100 each quintal. Thus, the expenditure on the adoption of the initiative has not only resulted in savings but has also introduced a more responsible and effective purchasing system.
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