Bhubaneswar, Dec 8
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday launched distribution of input assistance of Rs 800 in addition to the Minimum Support Price of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy to farmers.
With this, the BJP government in Odisha fulfilled its pre-poll promise to ensure the farmers receive Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy. The subsidy will be directly transferred to farmers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system.
CM Majhi launched the distribution of additional input subsidies during a special programme held in the Sohela area of Bargarh district on Sunday.
While launching the distribution, CM Majhi said "all the four major decisions taken in the first cabinet meeting after the formation of our government on June 12 have been implemented within six months. Out of these, one of the significant decisions was to provide Rs 3100 for the purchase of paddy which we fulfilled today at Sohela in Bargarh".
He also asserted that his government also fulfilled all the four promises - opening four entry gates in Jagannath Temple at Puri, Rs 500 crore corpus fund for the 12th century shrine, financial assistance to women in the state under the Subhadra scheme.
CM Majhi also said that the procurement of paddy started on November 20 while as many as 21,500 farmers received the additional input assistance of Rs 800 on Sunday.
He said that the farmers will receive Rs 3,100 per quintal through DBT within 48 hours of the procurement of paddy from Sunday.
The Chief Minister also noted that the state government has made elaborate arrangements to ensure the procurement process to be robust, clean and fully transparent.
Strict vigilance has been kept on borders with neighbouring states to stop the sale of paddy brought from other states.
He also urged the farmers to contact and apprised the authorities on toll-free number 1967 and apprised them of any irregularities in the procurement process at Mandi.
CM Majhi said that the government has made a provision of Rs 5,000 crore in the Agriculture Department budget so that the farmers do not face any problem in getting the additional input subsidy of Rs 800.
He further added that a record amount of Rs 33,919 crore has been allocated this year for the welfare of the farmers of Odisha.