New Guidelines for Paddy Procurement: To ensure transparency and prevent irregularities during the upcoming paddy procurement season in Chhattisgarh, the state government has introduced a new system. Under the rules established by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies, farmers must now arrive at the procurement center with the exact quantity of paddy specified on their token. Failure to bring the designated amount or to arrive at the procurement center on the date mentioned on the token may result in losses for the farmers.
What happens if a farmer brings less paddy than the quantity specified on the token?
According to the new system, if a farmer arrives at the procurement center with less paddy than the quantity stipulated on the token, the remaining portion (corresponding to the unutilized land area) will not be carried over to a subsequent token. This remaining quantity will lapse—effectively becoming void. In such a scenario, the farmer will not be granted another opportunity to obtain a token for that specific portion of their land area. Therefore, farmers must exercise great care regarding the specified quantity and date when obtaining their tokens.
Paddy procurement to proceed only after biometric verification
To enhance transparency and curb fraudulent practices, biometric verification has been made mandatory in the paddy procurement process. At the procurement centers, farmers’ identities will be verified using thumbprints or iris scans. The procurement process will only proceed once the farmer’s identity has been confirmed.
Furthermore, all information related to the procurement will be recorded in a real-time database. This will help prevent irregularities such as the manipulation of records or the backdating of entries.
Tokens to be issued based on land area
Under the new system, tokens will be issued to farmers based on the extent of their land. Specific limits have been set for the number of tokens and the quantity of paddy allowed:
Land area up to 2 acres: Maximum 1 token.
Land area up to 10 acres: Maximum 2 tokens.
Land area exceeding 10 acres: Maximum 3 tokens. If two tokens are issued, the designated quantity of paddy will be divided in a 50-50 percent ratio. In the case of three tokens, the quantity will be divided in a 33-33-34 percent ratio.
Missing the date on the token could lead to losses.
If a farmer fails to arrive at the procurement center with their paddy on the date specified on the issued token, that token will be automatically deleted the following day. In such a scenario, there will be only one opportunity to have the token re-issued. If the token is deleted a second time, the acreage (land area) associated with that quantity may lapse.
Therefore, farmers are advised to keep track of the date and the quantity of paddy specified on their tokens in advance to avoid any difficulties during the procurement process.
70 percent of tokens will be issued via a mobile app.
To streamline the token distribution process, 70 percent of the total tokens will be issued through a mobile app, while the remaining 30 percent will be issued through local procurement committees. This initiative aims to enhance transparency in token distribution and provide greater convenience to farmers.
Paddy procurement system to be integrated with AgriStack.
To curb irregularities such as the recycling of paddy and fraudulent registrations, the procurement process is being integrated with an AgriStack-based system. This will allow for online monitoring of the entire process. The procurement system will be overseen from the capital, Raipur, enabling the identification of any irregularities and ensuring that appropriate action is taken.
Important note for farmers: Before heading out to sell your paddy, check the quantity specified on your token…
