Cabinet sub-committee meeting held to discuss paddy procurement arrangements

Officials directed to ensure smooth paddy procurement with adequate facilities

Raipur TNINS 

According to the recent announcement made by Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel, registered farmers in Chhattisgarh will have the opportunity to sell paddy at a rate of 20 quintals per acre during the upcoming 2023-2024 kharif marketing season. A meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee--constituted to review policies for paddy procurement and custom milling and recommend suggestions--chaired by Food Minister Shri Amarjeet, was held today in the Assembly Hall located in the Vidhan Sabha premises. It is worth mentioning that the state government has set an estimated target of purchasing 125 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from registered farmers in the upcoming Kharif marketing year 2023-24.

Detailed discussions were held for the determination of policy regarding paddy and maize procurement at support price, farmer registration, gunny bags, and financial arrangements for the upcoming 2023-24 Kharif marketing season. During the meeting, Agriculture Minister Shri Tamradhwaj Sahu and Forest Minister Shri Mohammad Akbar, alongside Cooperative Minister Shri Ravindra Choubey who participated through video conferencing, were present. The ministers stated that the systematic paddy procurement process is carried out through cooperative societies in the state. They stressed the need to further strengthen these cooperative societies. 

The state has witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of farmers and area under cultivation over the past four and half years, thanks to the farmer-centric policies and decisions implemented by the state government led by Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel. The agricultural sector has also experienced significant expansion in terms of production. The pioneering initiatives of the state government have greatly facilitated the smooth conduct of paddy procurement and paddy lifting processes. To further support farmers and ensure smooth paddy sales, comprehensive preparations are underway this year as well to provide them with the necessary facilities.

Officials informed the meeting that an estimated 33.61 lakh hectares of land in the state will be under paddy cultivation during the upcoming kharif season. As per Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel's announcement, paddy will be procured from farmers at a rate of 20 quintals per acre in the 2023-24 Kharif Marketing Year. Consequently, comprehensive preparations are underway to strengthen the paddy procurement system within cooperative societies to facilitate the estimated procurement. The preparations involve crucial tasks, including farmer registration, arrangement of gunny bags, enhancement of amenities at procurement centers, and ensuring streamlined payment arrangements for farmers.

Secretary, Food Department, Shri Topeshwar Verma, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr Kamal Preet Singh, Secretary, Cooperative Department, Shri Himshikhar Gupta, Nodal Officer, Godhan NYAY Yojana, Dr Ayyaz Bhai Tamboli, Chief Executive Officer, CHIPS, Shri Ritesh Agarwal, Special Secretary, Food Department, Shri M. Soni, Director, Food and Civil Supplies Corporation, Shri Jitendra Shukla, Director, Agriculture Department, Smt. Ranu Sahu, Managing Director, Apex Bank, Shri KN Kande along with senior officers of the department concerned were present in the meeting.