Paddy procurement in Ganjam from December 14

BERHAMPUR: With paddy procurement in the district set to begin on December 14, District Collector Kishen Kumar has directed the authorities concerned to open grievance cells in panchayats on Saturdays. At a meeting at Chhatrapur to ensure smooth paddy procurement in Ganjam district, Kumar said the price of FAQ standard paddy has been fixed at Rs 1,080 per quintal and FAQ-grade A at Rs 1,110 a quintal. Kumar directed the Regulated market committee authorities to open 576 mandis besides the grievance cells. A toll-free phone number 1077 has been provided to the farmers to register their complaints.Despite drought-like situation in the district, a target to collect 1.46 lakh metric tonnes of rice has been set. Besides the 606 millers who registered their names online, 426 women SHGs also got enrolled. Thirty-eight pani panchayats and 195 cooperative societies have also registered to collect paddy from the farmers.The Collector directed his officials to submit the list of farmers by December 12 to ensure that they did not face any problem in transportation of paddy to the site.To check distress sale, a committee has been constituted under the sub-collector.Block-level committees led by BDOs concerned has also been formed to monitor the paddy purchase.