Odisha CM launched the distribution of input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy

Sohela:8/12/24: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the distribution of input assistance of Rs 800 over and above the MSP of Rs 2,300 per quintal of paddy to the farmers of the state at a function held in Sohela of Odisha’s Bargarh district on Sunday.

The state government paid additional input assistance of Rs 66 crore to over 16,000 farmers through DBT on Sunday.

Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Majhi said, “Today will be a historic day for Odisha. For farmers, this will be written in golden letters as the state government has reached out to them to provide them an accurate price for their paddy.”

“I am very happy with launching this initiative for the farmers,” the Chief Minister said.

The government has selected Sohela to launch the distribution of the additional input subsidy because the area is treated as a hub of farmers, he said.

“The previous government was exploiting the farmers through middlemen. It had promised to provide a bonus of Rs 100 to the paddy farmers but never implemented it. To give a befitting reply to the false promise, I came here today to distribute the input assistance,” he added.

“In its election manifesto, the BJP had promised to procure paddy from farmers at Rs 3,100 per quintal. Today, the promise was fulfilled,” the Chief Minister said.

Majhi said that within one hour of taking the oath, he called the first Cabinet meeting and took important decisions including the distribution of Rs 800 per quintal input assistance to paddy farmers.

Paddy procurement for the Kharif season started on November 20 and so far, more than 21,500 farmers have sold their paddy to the government, Majhi said.

Deputy Chief Minister who is also in charge of the Agriculture Department, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said, “Our government believes in work not words. What we have promised to farmers before the election has been delivered today.”

Among others, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, Food Supplies, and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, and local MP and MLAs attended the event. Another Deputy CM Pravati Parida and several ministers also graced the event virtually from different districts.