Odisha Revenue Minister Challenges Opposition to Engage in Direct Assembly Debate on Paddy Procurement
Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday strongly urged the opposition to participate in a direct and constructive discussion regarding paddy procurement within the assembly. He accused opposition members of deliberately obstructing debate despite repeated requests from the treasury bench. His remarks came as the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) announced plans for a significant protest in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday over the ongoing issue, which has already stalled assembly proceedings for five consecutive days.
Minister Defends Procurement Progress and Highlights Infrastructure Challenges
Addressing a news conference, Minister Pujari asserted that procurement during the current kharif season was broadly proceeding according to schedule. He firmly rejected allegations that the process has slowed down significantly. Pujari explained that higher input subsidies have encouraged more farmers to transition to paddy cultivation, resulting in increased agricultural production and subsequently placing greater pressure on the state's procurement systems.
The minister openly acknowledged that Odisha's procurement infrastructure has historically suffered from substantial gaps. These deficiencies included inadequate facilities for farmers, limited quality-testing mechanisms, and the absence of standardized mandis before the current government assumed office. "A state with such an extensive paddy-growing base undeniably required stronger infrastructure. We are actively working to build that robust framework," Pujari stated emphatically.
Government Outlines Major Upgrades and Addresses Legacy Issues
Pujari detailed that the state government is now focusing on implementing major infrastructure upgrades. These initiatives include developing 100 model mandis and creating additional warehouse capacity of 5 lakh metric tonnes. He emphasized that such large-scale reforms "cannot be delivered overnight" and noted that several existing bottlenecks were legacy issues inherited from previous administrations.
The minister further clarified that the steady expansion of cultivated land and the growing number of paddy farmers have added considerable strain to the procurement system. However, he assured that the government is systematically addressing these concerns in phased implementations. Pujari also criticized the opposition for what he described as "running away from debate" and revealed that an all-party meeting convened to resolve the impasse had made no tangible progress. He reiterated that the government remains fully prepared for an open and transparent discussion inside the legislative House.
BJD Announces Major Protest and Presents Critical Data
Meanwhile, senior BJD members, including deputy leader of opposition Prasanna Acharya, vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, and Sanjay Das Burma, announced that a massive protest will be held on Tuesday. They allege that current policies are adversely affecting farmers across the state.
Acharya contended that this year's procurement process has been chaotic, spanning from initial registration through token distribution to mandi operations. Citing official figures, he highlighted that while 19.66 lakh farmers registered for procurement, approximately 1.5 lakh registrations were subsequently cancelled. Against a total production of 193.06 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, procurement so far stands at only 60.09 lakh metric tonnes, representing about 31% of the total yield.
Mishra added that district-level protests have been ongoing since February 2 and will culminate in a major demonstration at Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar. Das Burma accused the BJP government of reneging on its election promise to purchase rice at Minimum Support Price (MSP) without any deductions, further intensifying the political confrontation over agricultural policies.
