Govt committed to purchase all paddy on the basis of valid token: Minister

Bhubaneswar, Feb 20: The state government today dismissed the Opposition's apprehension and asserted that it is committed to purchase all the paddy coming to the mandis on the basis of valid token. This was stated by the Food and Civil Supplies and Cooperation Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain in the state Assembly in his statement placed before the legislature on the direction of the Speaker. A minimum support price of Rs 1,868 per quintal is being paid to the farmers following Centre's decision, said Swain. Yesterday, the issue was agitated paralysing the Assembly for the entire day. Finally, Speaker Dr Surya Narayan Patro had to convene an all party meeting to resolve the deadlock. Speaker Dr Patro directed the minister to make a statement in the Assembly today. The Opposition yesterday had alleged that the purchasing centres were not buying the  paddy of the farmers for which tonnes of paddy were gathering at different mandis. The government is not accepting the paddy which are brought without token. They demanded that the procurement agencies should accept all the paddy brought by the farmers to the mandis and the lapsed tokens should be revalidated. Minister Swain today told the House that a total 55.03 lakh metric tonne paddy has been purchased by the government as on February 19. This was 21 per cent higher than the paddy procurement in the previous kharif season, he said.