Bhubaneswar, Dec 26: The Odisha government has expanded its paddy procurement operations during the ongoing Kharif season, issuing advance tokens to farmers in four additional districts—Balasore, Nayagarh, Gajapati, and Kandhamal. Procurement in these districts will commence in phases, beginning December 29 in Balasore and Nayagarh, December 30 in Gajapati, and December 31 in Kandhamal, officials said on Friday.

According to official figures, tokens have been distributed to 65,273 farmers in Balasore, 28,723 in Nayagarh, 10,112 in Gajapati, and 3,176 in Kandhamal. To facilitate smooth operations, mandis in these districts have been equipped with temporary sheds, drinking water facilities, and toilets. CCTV cameras have been installed at each mandi, with officers deployed to oversee the procurement process and ensure transparency.

Procurement in 12 Districts
Meanwhile, procurement is already underway in 12 districts—Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Ganjam, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Sambalpur, Subarnapur, and Sundargarh. So far, 6.30 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have been collected from 1,41,381 farmers across these districts.

Payments to Farmers
The government has disbursed Rs 919.13 crore as minimum support price (MSP) payments directly to farmers’ accounts. Additionally, Rs 283.61 crore has been released as input assistance, reinforcing the state’s commitment to supporting cultivators during the procurement season.

Transparency Measures
Officials emphasized that the deployment of technology, including CCTV surveillance and token-based procurement, is aimed at eliminating irregularities and ensuring that only registered farmers benefit from the system. District administrations have been instructed to maintain strict vigilance at mandis and provide necessary support to farmers.

The expansion of procurement operations reflects Odisha’s effort to streamline the process, safeguard farmer interests, and ensure timely payments during the Kharif season.