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Raipur, October 10 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh Cabinet has approved a major decision to start paddy procurement at the rate of Rs 3,100 per quintal for the Kharif marketing year 2025-26.
The initiative, which will be launched on November 15, will benefit more than 25 lakh farmers across the state. The procurement will continue till January 31, 2026, with a purchase limit of 21 quintals per acre.
After the cabinet meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao told the media that a strong administrative structure will be created to prevent diversion and recycling of paddy.
Farmers will receive payment within six to seven days, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
To ease the process, the government has launched an online token system through the “Tunhar Haath” mobile app, allowing farmers to schedule the sale of their paddy without standing in long queues at procurement centres.
To further enhance transparency, the state has made e-KYC registration mandatory on the Agristech portal of the Agriculture Ministry. The move aims to eliminate duplication and ensure accurate identification of genuine farmers.
The last date for registration is October 31, 2025.
A digital crop survey covering 23 lakh hectares has been completed, enabling accurate online mapping of paddy acreage.
From October 2, data from both the digital survey and manual girdawari are being read aloud in gram sabhas across 20,000 villages, strengthening public accountability.
Biometric verification will be used during procurement to ensure that only genuine farmers can sell their produce.
The state has designated 2,739 procurement centres, and the committees managing these centers will get an incentive of Rs 5 per quintal for maintaining zero dryness in the purchased paddy.
To support the procurement process, adequate supply of both new and old jute bags is being arranged.
The Food Department of the Government of India has set a target to procure 73 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh for the central pool.
For the first time, the state will set up an integrated command and control center at the Markfed office to monitor procurement activities and prevent recycling. District-level control rooms will also be set up to strengthen monitoring. Special checking teams will be formed at the district level to stop illegal influx of paddy from neighboring states.
Additionally, physical verification of lifting and transportation of paddy will be done to ensure cost-effective and transparent logistics. This comprehensive scheme reflects the commitment of the State Government towards farmer welfare, technology integration and transparent governance in agricultural procurement.
–IANS
SKTR/PGH