INTRODUCTION:
The Government has planned to protect the livelihood of farmers through the Paddy Procurement Plan and execute it more effectively. This plan is to increase opportunities for the farmers and put an end to the entities that don’t make timely payments to farmers during the paddy procurements. The center operates the plan through the State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State-run agencies.
The Government purchases paddy and wheat with Minimal Support Prices and distributes them at a subsidized price to the poor beneficiaries registered under National Food Security. By this, both farmers and common people will be highly benefitted.
UNION FOOD MINISTRY REPORTS:
The Union Food Ministry has reported that 77 lakh farmers have benefited from the Minimum Support Price (MSP Value) of Rs. 1,18,812.56 crores in the current marketing year 2021 to 2022. The total paddy purchase is 606.19 lakh tons.
Till January 23, the center had purchased,
- 85 lakh tons of paddy from Punjab.
- 62 lakh tons from Chattisgarh
- 08 lakh tons from Telangana
- 30 lakh tons from Haryana
- 49 lakh tons from Uttar Pradesh.
UP GOVERNMENT SETS TARGET AND ACHIEVED IT TO CREATE MANY NEW TARGETS
Uttar Pradesh is making enormous efforts to help farmers. The State Government targets to acquire a maximum of 50,000 quintals of paddy in four days per week (Monday to Thursday) and also to buy 50,000 quintals in the next two days (Friday and Saturday) during the Kharif Marketing Season October 2021 to March 2022. The main objective is to make this procurement more Farmer-Centric.
If the Government gets 66 lakh MT of crops in the last marketing season, it sets a target to purchase 70 lakh MT. Yet another new target in this season.
4000 CENTRES IN 75 DISTRICTS:
The state has increased to 4000 Paddy Procurement centers in 75 districts. The increased centers aim to protect and provide farmers with what they deserve. It is ensured that farmers will provide a fair price for crop acquisition. These procurement centers are instructed to run in a transparent and hassle-free manner. District magistrates of 75 districts are asked to have surprise inspections every week to monitor the centers.
The centers will function on all working days (except Sundays and Government holidays) (Monday to Saturday).
It is crucial to protect the people who feed us. Without farmers, we have no food and no future.
