Bhubaneswar: Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration of farmers to participate in paddy procurement. The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has asked in a letter to district collectors to speed up registration of farmers who have been left out due to non-availability of Aadhaar card.
The letter mentioned that farmers can register themselves with Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPCS) by submitting voter ID card, Kisan Credit Card or Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana card.
The Food Supplies department further stated, to update the database, farmers are requested to provide Aadhaar card. However, submission of Aadhaar card is not mandatory, the letter noted.
The State government has set a tentative target to procure about 53 lakh tonnes of paddy during Kharif and Rabi seasons of 2017-18.
The paddy procurement, which has started on November 1, would continue in the State till April 2018 through 2,576 PACS.
Food Supplies Minister Surya Narayan Patro has said the proceeds of paddy sold to the State government will be credited to bank account of farmers within 24 hours of procurement.
The minister informed the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy has been fixed at Rs 1,550 per quintal.
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