BHUBANESWAR: BJP Krushak Morcha leaders on Friday staged a dharna in front of the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) office here protesting against the alleged mismanagement in mandis.
They also accused the government of not procuring Rabi paddy from farmers.
BJP farmers’ wing state president, Pradip Purohit, said the state government has issued tokens to farmers to procure paddy but tokens of around 1,000 farmers have lapsed so far because millers did not lift paddy from them in time.
The farmers having tokens can sell paddy within 12 days only,” he added.
He said millers procuring paddy at the mandis deduct 8 to 10 kg of paddy per quintal in the name of grain quality.
“Due to irregularities in token system in mandis, small farmers sell their paddy for Rs 1000 and Rs 1,200 per quintal to middlemen against government’s minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1940,” he added.
Recently, a Central team has found lapses in paddy procurement in Odisha and recommended detailed audit of the system.
“We also demand stringent action against millers for cheating farmers,” he added.
The BJP leader demanded the government to procure paddy from all farmers whose tokens have lapsed.
It should also procure paddy from farmers who have farmland of over five acres, he said.
The BJP workers and the leaders called off the dharna after getting an assurance from the OSCSC managing director Biswajeet Keshari Das.
Das said, “I will inform the higher authorities about lapsing of tokens.
They will take a call on this aspect.”