The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) criticized the Odisha government for its handling of the paddy procurement process, calling it chaotic. State BJD Vice-President Sanjay Kumar Das Burma highlighted the mismanagement and alleged apathy towards farmers by the BJP-led state government. Das Burma expressed concern over the low number of farmers able to sell their paddy despite a large population dependent on agriculture in Odisha.
The BJD leader pointed out discrepancies in the paddy procurement data, revealing that only a fraction of registered farmers have been able to sell their produce. Despite assurances from the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary to open mandis in all districts by a certain date, several districts still lack operational mandis. Odisha’s paddy procurement falls significantly short of its target compared to neighboring Chhattisgarh, indicating a serious issue with the state’s procurement system.
Das Burma criticized the State Food Supplies Minister’s statement on paddy procurement pricing, calling it a betrayal of farmers. He highlighted discrepancies in the procurement price compared to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy, accusing the government of deceiving farmers with false promises and inadequate payments.
