Bengal to permit marginal farmers to promote paddy in boro season to satisfy PDS wants

With a view to meet greater requirement of rice for the general public distribution system (PDS), the West Bengal authorities has determined to permit small and marginal farmers to promote as much as 30 quintal of paddy on this boro season.

That is the second consecutive boro season throughout which the state authorities might be procuring extra paddy from the farmers.  

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“Proposals have been obtained from completely different districts for permitting the KB validated small and marginal farmers to promote paddy as much as 30 quintal in boro season additionally. Contemplating that the small and marginal farmers must promote their produce at a remunerative worth and that the division additionally wants to obtain 30 lakh MT of paddy in remaining 2-3 months to satisfy its requirement for PDS, the division has now determined within the public curiosity to permit the validated farmers, i.e, farmers having KB ID to promote 30 quintal of paddy within the coming boro (Rabi) season on this KMS 2023-24 additionally,” the state’s Meals & Provides Division mentioned in an order.

“The federal government should buy the paddy from the open marketplace for the PDS want. However on this case, solely the merchants will profit. Thus, to assist the small and marginal farmers, the state authorities has determined to obtain paddy from them,” a senior authorities official advised businessline.

“This 12 months, we have now mounted the paddy procurement goal of 63 lakh MT to satisfy the PDS requirement. To this point we have now procured 41.73 lakh MT of paddy on this KMS,” the official added.