Overview
- District collectors have been empowered to add 15 days to farmers’ token validity so registered sellers can complete sales at mandis.
- Officials say procurement will run through March 31, with 63.65 lakh metric tonnes bought so far and capacity to purchase up to 80 lakh tonnes.
- The Food Supplies Minister cites real-time oversight by a Central Command Centre and over Rs 17,000 crore paid to farmers, typically within 48 hours.
- Opposition parties mounted protests over alleged mismanagement and slowdowns in procurement across Odisha.
- Following farmer Trilochan Nayak’s death on February 25, the BJD demanded the Supply Minister’s resignation, flagged conflicting procurement figures, and a local tahsildar said 38.92 quintal of the farmer’s paddy had already been procured and paid for earlier in the month.