Jamshedpur, Nov. 9: State government from will purchase paddy from farmers at minimum support price (MSP) December 15. Central government has set the support price to Rs 1410 per quintal and purchasing will be done at this price till March 31, 2016.
In addition, the State government is also planning to present the famers with a bonus of Rs. 300. This was decided at the meeting headed by state food and civil supplies minister Saryu Rai on Monday.
According to the decision, FCI will purchase paddy directly in 13 districts of three divisions – Palamu, Kolhan and Chottanagpur. In 13 districts of Hazaribagh and Santhal Paragnas, the state government will purchase paddy from farmers through the Jharkhand State Food Corporation.
A meeting of pax officials will be held at Hazaribagh and Dumka on November 23 and 24. For every block one pax official has been selected for which government will provide advance money of Rs. 2 crore to each pax. Money will be forwarded to farmers’ account within 72 hours of purchase. Moisture content in paddy should not be more than 17 percent.
At the meet department principal secretary (Agriculture) Nitin Madan Kulkarni, food, civil supplies and consumer affairs secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey, Special secretary Ravi Ranjan, State Food Corporation, managing director Baleshwar Singh and Fertilizer Corporation of India, general manager, P Muthumaran and others were present.