Jharkhand government to begin paddy procurement from Monday

The Jharkhand govt will begin paddy procurement from the state’s farmers from Monday. This year, paddy will be procured at a minimum support price of Rs 2,450 per quintal, officials said.
The state cabinet, during its meeting on December 8, approved a proposal to provide a bonus of Rs 81 per quintal to the farmers over and above the Centre’s rate. The department of food, public distribution and consumer affairs has approved a purse of Rs 48.6 crore for the procurement.
Notably, the Centre has fixed MSP for paddy at Rs 2,239 per quintal and Rs 2,389 per quintal for Grade-A paddy for the ongoing financial year. Govt sources said the department has set a target of procuring 60 lakh quintals of paddy from the state’s farmers this year.
In a statement, state food and public distribution minister Irfan Ansari on Sunday said he is urging his cabinet colleagues, MLAs and MPs to attend the programme in their respective constituencies. He asked district supply officers to coordinate with public representatives and ensure formal inauguration of paddy procurement centres on Monday. “Under all circumstances, one should attend the programme to boost the morale of farmers. If, for any reason, physical presence is not possible, then the programme must be addressed through online means to extend support to farmers,” the minister said.

Ansari further stated, “Paddy cultivation has been extremely good in the state this year, which has brought a wave of happiness among farmers across Jharkhand. To further strengthen this, the state govt has taken this major decision to ensure a lump-sum payment of Rs 2,450 per quintal on paddy sales.”

This article has been republished from The Times of India.