Malda: Relaxations given to procure Boro paddy

Malda district administration has engaged self-help groups (SHGs) and various farmer societies to procure Boro paddy against a support price, for the convenience of the farmers.

These organisations are to install purchasing camps in paddy cultivating areas of the district to reach out to the farmers who want to sell their crop. Some relaxations in the purchasing process have also been introduced for the benefit of the growers.

Along with the existing 22 centralised procurement centres (CPCs) and 3 mobile units, Malda is going to introduce 13 more such mobile CPCs for this purpose. Farmers can now enrol themselves under this system without a Krishakbandhu card, only by furnishing a declaration in the prescribed format.

Further, the farmers entitled to sell 45 quintals of paddy per head are now eligible to sell 90 quintals. However, if having sold Kharif paddy crop to the Government earlier this year, the total quantity of Kharif and Boro crop should not exceed the 90 quintal mark. The department is stressing on publicity of these benefits among the farming community through miking, even in the remotest villages.

Malda district administration has a target of procuring 2 lakh 81 thousand metric tons of both Kharif and Boro paddy. 2 lakh 59 thousand paddy has already been procured and the rest is to be lifted in the Boro season. The farmers are getting Rs 2040 and Rs 20 as incentives per quintal. It is not mandatory to furnish biometric identity proof for the beneficiaries who want to sell at the CPC. They can sell their crop with the help of an OTP sent to their registered mobile numbers.

It will take only 3 working days for the farmers to get their money in their respective bank accounts registered with the dedicated portal for e-paddy procurement, West Bengal. The self-scheduling system before 10 days of sale of the paddy has also been revised and a farmer can schedule his sale on the same day through emergency scheduling.

Nitin Singhania, DM Malda, said: “Once the procurement target is reached it will further be extended. The farmers are given many benefits and relaxation to sell their crops easily.”