Assam To Amend Middlemen System Causing Loss to Rice Growers

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday that the majority of paddy grown in the state is bought by middlemen, depriving farmers of a fair price, owing to a lack of a good procurement process and dedicated efforts.

He stated that the state administration, to eliminate the middlemen system, has decided to put a stop to such a scenario so that farmers may profit economically.

The Assam government will hold special 'Gaon Sabhas' all across the state on January 16 to educate farmers about the paddy procurement drive and to accelerate the process, he stated while having a conversation with Deputy Commissioners, Circle Officers of the districts, and agricultural officers via video conference from Janata Bhawan, the state government headquarters.

The Chief Minister stated that due to the committed efforts of the state authority, the central government, and many other government agencies, along with the Food Corporation of India, 10 lakh MT of paddy will be procured from producers at a minimum price of Rs 1,940 per quintal.

He stated that the state government is ready to conduct paddy procurement in a mission mode and has announced 194 paddy procurement sites in the state, from which 166 have been opened.

He further stated that meeting the purchase objective will substantially assist farmers while also infusing over Rs 2,000 crore into the state economy.

The Chief Minister directed the establishment of a standing committee comprised of the Principal Secretaries of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Agriculture, and Revenue Departments to advise DCs and other authorities and resolve any concerns with paddy procurement.

The Chief Minister emphasized the need for enormous farmer awareness for the initiative's success and asked MPs and MLAs to participate actively in the 'Gaon Sabhas' to ensure the major success of the procurement drive.