The Congress party in Odisha has accused officials, millers, and the Food Supplies Minister of colluding in a paddy procurement scam during the Kharif season. They claim that irregularities have left around 1.13 lakh farmers without fair earnings, pointing to a flawed procurement system. The party has called for immediate action to purchase paddy from the affected farmers and address the alleged corruption.
The Congress leaders highlighted a purported “80:20 formula” in paddy procurement, where farmers are promised full purchase but end up losing 20% of the value to millers. They also pointed out widespread irregular deductions, estimating that farmers have been deprived of nearly 6 lakh metric tonnes of paddy worth over Rs 1,500 crore. Specific instances of irregularities, including deductions in cooperative societies, were cited by the party.
Alleging that the scam involves officials and ruling party members, the Congress demanded swift corrective measures from the state government. They warned of a statewide protest in April if immediate steps are not taken to ensure fair procurement practices and eliminate corruption from the system.
