RAIPUR,INDIA: A meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Minister Dayal Baghel, was held at the Mahanadi Bhawan Ministry to discuss the auction of 40 lakh metric tonnes of paddy remaining after procurement. The state government aims to fully dispose of an estimated 160 to 165 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during this Kharif marketing year.

The meeting reviewed plans for selling 125 lakh metric tonnes of paddy through the central and state pools, with 70 lakh metric tonnes allocated to the central pool and 14 lakh metric tonnes to the state pool under the Civil Supplies Corporation. For the remaining 40 lakh metric tonnes, the tender process for auction is expected to begin in the second week of February. A final decision on the auction will be made in a Council of Ministers meeting.

Key issues related to paddy procurement, including the lifting of paddy for custom milling, availability of gunny bags, and the status of tokens, were reviewed. Instructions were issued to expedite both paddy procurement and lifting for custom milling.

Officials reported that 144.92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were purchased last year at the support price, and this year, an estimated 160 to 165 lakh metric tonnes will be procured through 2,058 cooperative societies and 2,739 procurement centres. Since the paddy procurement campaign began on November 14, 2024, 113 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have been purchased, with Rs 25,549 crore paid to 21.54 lakh farmers under the bank-linking system.

The meeting was attended by Agriculture Development and Farmers Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam, Forest and Climate Change and Cooperation Minister Kedar Kashyap, Health and Family Welfare and 20 Point Implementation Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, and other senior officials.