Distress sell of paddy in Kalahandi

Note: Good initiative by Sri Sanat Pand and Sri Bikram Kashyap Panda


Dear Chief Minister Mr. Patnaik,
A petition has been signed by many people on distress sell of paddy in Kalahandi.

http://www.change.org/petitions/mp-representing-kalahandi-orissa-india-control-over-distress-sells-of-paddy-in-kalahandi

Despite all of your Government efforts and administration , the distress sells of paddy is continuing, especially in Kalahandi, due to involvement of third parties and brokers.As per the state Government’s current paddy procurement policy a regular farmer deposits Water tax or Malagujari Receipt along with voter Identity card to get a token to sell 12 quintals per acre of land. However, with modern method of cultivation farmers earn about 30 quintals per acre, best case it may reach 50 quintals per acre. Because of this upper limit kept by the Government, rest of the paddy is sold through brokers at low price by the farmers.

On the other side Mandies are constrained for 2/3 days in a week even in the peak time of procurement and the process of Mandi continues for two to several months that makes small or medium farmers to wait for a long time period to sell in the Mandies. Poor farmers who in need of money lose patience and approach the broker with their identification card that is used by brokers to sell in the Mandies bribing local officers. Because of the corrupt system in most of the Mandies 90% paddy are purchased from the brokers and 10 % comes directly from the farmers. Therefore, we request you to operate Mandies in daily basis and a special officer should be recruited in each Panchyat or block level only to supervise paddy procurement process by relaxing the upper limit to sell up to 50 quintals per acre of land. Authorization of farmers should be carefully monitored and limited to family members in case of urgency. A legal penalty and punishment should be introduced for brokers during paddy procurement. Officers indulged in entertaining brokers should be brought under severe punishment so that poor farmers in the state, especially in Kalahandi are utmost benefited and not at the receiving end every time.

Anticipating your positive response in these matters.

Thank you

Yours sincerely


Signatories
http://www.change.org/petitions/mp-representing-kalahandi-orissa-india-control-over-distress-sells-of-paddy-in-kalahandi