BHUBANESWAR: Members of the ruling BJD continue to push the State Government to withdraw the online token system for paddy procurement with a plea that the new system is causing inconvenience to farmers.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour of the Assembly, BJD MLA from Bargarh, Debesh Acharya said the farmers should not be put into unnecessary trouble in the name of transparency.
Alleging that registration of only 93,000 out of 1.13 lakh farmers of the district has been verified, Acharya said token have been issued to only about 45,000 farmers till November 26.
Claiming that only 1.8 lakh quintals of paddy have been procured so far, he said farmers of Hirakud command area will face serious problem to start Rabi cultivation if they are unable to sell their paddy by December 31.
Explaining the difficulties faced by farmers in receiving online token, Acharya said internet connectivity is a real issue in interior and hilly areas of the district. “How far is it justified to put farmers in trouble on the pretext of bringing transparency,” he questioned and demanded withdrawal of the online token system in the better interest of farmers.
BJD’s Rairakhol MLA Rohit Pujari said after sale of their first lot, farmers are not sure when they will get the next token to dispose of their residual paddy.
Padmapur MLA Bijaya Ranjan Singh Bariha urged the Government to allow farmers sell their paddy without online token. He further alleged that rice millers are not paying the price of the gunny to farmers.
Rairakhol MLA Rohit Pujari, who along with Labour Minister Sushant Singh had persuaded the agitating farmers to call off their agitation against the new system, said the farmers are in a dilemma over the token system.
He urged the Government to take immediate steps to reissue tokens.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said if the old system is reintroduced it will open a floodgate of corruption.
Seeking the cooperation of the members, the Minister said Aadhaar-seeding and biometric identification is a must to keep middlemen away from the process.
He assured that the farmers will be given time and their paddy will be procured in phases.