Paddy procurement: Satellite survey exposes large-scale irregularities in land registration in Odisha

At a time when the number of arable lands is dwindling in Odisha, the state has shockingly witnessed a rise in the registration of land for paddy procurement.

According to sources, Bhadrak and Balasore districts registered a remarkable spurt in the registration of land for paddy procurement for the Kharif season. 

Meanwhile, the state government has started carrying out satellite survey of the registered land to unearth the truth. Revenue Inspectors and cooperative workers have started doing physical surveillance of those agricultural lands. As a result, paddy procurement centres are yet to be opened in these two districts. Besides, farmers are yet to avail tokens for selling their paddy. 

Going by the satellite report submitted to the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Society, plot number 8, 60, 61, 258, 56 and 283 under Khaira block in Balasore district have been registered for paddy procurement without harvesting paddy.

As per reports, forests, bushes, residential plots, barren fields, ponds and even non-agricultural lands in the district have been illegally registered for paddy procurement process through cooperative societies.

As per the 2022-23 Kharif Satellite Verification Status Report, the government has verified 78,525 plots out of 81,717 plots. The report further mentioned that paddy cultivation was carried out in only 2,692 plots out of 78,525 plots registered for paddy procurement. That means, 75,833 plots from the total lands registered for paddy procurement through false entries.

When it comes to Bhadrak district, it is learnt from the satellite survey that as many as 1,02,980 plots have been registered for paddy procurement out of which only 7,444 plots have harvested paddy. The remaining 95,506 plots have registered for paddy procurement despite not harvesting paddy.

Farmer Jay Jagannath Mallick said, “Those who have not harvested paddy with the help of cooperative societies even registered their land for paddy procurement. And the real paddy farmers are suffering after being deprived of selling their paddy.”

Survey official Mohan Singh of Nijagada Cooperative Society said, “In many cases, non-farm lands have been registered for paddy procurement. During the investigation, it is learnt that buildings have been erected on such plots. Even barren lands have been registered for paddy procurement.”

Additional Supplies department officer Kedar Nayak said, “Those lands will be blacklisted. Only genuine lands will get the benefit.”