Great news for farmers, CM Nitish Kumar directed officials to address paddy procurement.
Patna November 1, 2024: CM Nitish Kumar held a key review meeting with the cooperative department, addressing the upcoming paddy procurement season in Bihar.
The meeting attended by senior officials and chaired at his office in Patna, was focused on ensuring an efficient and farmer-friendly procurement process.
CM Nitish Kumar advocated for district-specific procurement:
CM Nitish Kumar emphasized the importance of district-specific procurement targets based on estimated paddy production levels.
“This approach is essential to streamline the procurement workflow and address regional production variations. I want to ask the officials to closely monitor the procurement process, specifically to guard against any mismanagement that might disrupt the system,” Kumar said. He highlighted the need for speedy and effective procurement practices to prevent any inconvenience for the farmers, underscoring the government’s commitment to assisting the agricultural community.
Officials briefed CM Nitish Kumar on the preparations:
K Sarwanan, Secretary of the Food and Civil Supply Department, presented details on the paddy procurement targets, minimum support price, and the timeline for the Kharif marketing season.
This season, the minimum support price (MSP) for general-grade paddy is set at Rs2,300 per quintal. The procurement period will extend from November 1, 2024, to February 15, 2025.
CM Nitish Kumar and his team were joined by key officials, including Cabinet Minister Prem Kumar, Chief Secretary Amritlal Meena, Principal Secretary to the CM Dr. S. Siddharth, and Principal Secretary Deepak Kumar, all collaborating to ensure a seamless procurement process for the state’s farmers.
Sarvanan also pointed out the procurement window is scheduled from November 1, 2024, to February 15, 2025, offering ample time for farmers to sell their produce.
The state aims to procure 45 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, a goal that aligns with the increased production capacity and demand.
He also said that the number of operational parboiled rice mills has grown to 360, bolstering the state’s processing capacity.
Dharmendra Singh, Secretary of the Cooperative Department, outlined the action plan for procurement.
The phased approach began on November 1 in 19 districts, with the remaining districts set to initiate procurement on November 15. This staggered approach is expected to streamline operations and accommodate regional production variations, benefiting farmers across Bihar.
The review meeting reflects the government’s ensuring they receive fair market prices and smooth service through an efficient and transparent procurement system.
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EOM