Express News Service
BHOPAL: The BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh has now reported a record purchase of 37.26 lakh metric ton (MT) paddy on support price from farmers.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while reviewing paddy procurement work on support price, said that Rs 5,000 crores have already been paid to paddy farmers against the procurement of their produce on support price and 90% paddy has already been transported.
He instructed the officials concerned to make the remaining payment of farmers and complete the transportation of the remaining paddy at the earliest. Further, he directed to complete the milling work of the purchased paddy as soon as possible.
Chouhan said there was excess paddy purchase in all the districts on support price except Vidisha compared to last year. Districts with the maximum procurement compared to last year include Hoshangabad, Raisen, and Sehore with 217%, 310%, and 321% purchase respectively. A total of 25.85 lakh MT of paddy was purchased in the state in 2019-20 and 21.96 lakh MT in 2018-19.
Further, a total of 2,24,919 lakh MT of jowar and millet have been purchased at support price this year. In all, 6,491 farmers have sold jowar and 35,926 farmers have sold millet at the support price. The total purchase amount is Rs 497 crore, against which a payment of Rs 496 crore has been made to the farmers.
For the first time, the government has made a policy of milling during paddy procurement. During the procurement, 60,997 MT paddy was taken by the millers. A maximum of 37,800 MT was done was taken by millers in the Jabalpur district. Instructions have been given for milling of the entire paddy purchased before the rainy season.
The CM further informed that the registration work for procurement on support price in Rabi season will be done from January 25 to February 20. For this, a total of 4529 registration centres have been set up in the state, compared to 2991 registration centres set up last year.
The CM also informed that a new system is being put in place for the registration of sublets/ sharecroppers in Rabi season this year. Under this, registration will be made for purchase on support price for a contracted area up to five hectares.
