BY TC News Desk
Agartala, July 11, 2023: The purchase of paddy for the current rabi season at government subsidized prices from the farmers of the state in a joint initiative of the State Department of Food and Public Procurement and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare started in a ceremony in Jirania this morning. On this occasion, the MLA of Majlishpur Center and the state MLA lit up sacred lamp at a function organized at Madhavbari of Jirania sub-division and inaugurated the purchase of paddy from the farmers of different areas under Jirania sub-division.
While addressing the farmers present there, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said in his speech, Chief Minister of the state Professor (Dr) Manik Saha is always sympathetic to the farmers of our state. Following his instructions, the work of buying paddy from the farmers at government subsidized price has started again. Farmers get a much higher price from the government paddy buying center than what they get for selling paddy in the open market. Our farmer-friendly government is trying to ensure that only farmers get this benefit.
He said, with the aim of doubling the income of the farmers of the state, the FCI is buying paddy from the farmers of the state at the minimum support price this year as well. It is a historical event. As a part of this, the purchase of paddy at the minimum support price from the farmers of Jirania sub-division has been started again under the initiative of FCI at the inter-state truck terminus at Madhavbari today.
Farmers are encouraged to increase the price of paddy As a result, yield also increased. Hundreds of thousands of farmers in Tripura have benefited since the launch of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) paddy procurement programme. Thus, the financial burden of the Tripura government has increased, but the farmers have benefited financially. In the past there was no arrangement for purchasing paddy through MSP in Tripura. As a result the farmers were deprived. Our government has started it Tripura government is buying paddy from farmers at the rate of Rs 2040 per quintal. This year, the state government has set a target of purchasing 35,000 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers. He requested the farmers of the state to sell their paddy in contact with their nearest agriculture department or Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office and take the advantage of selling paddy at the minimum subsidized price. Necessary measures will be taken to ensure that all farmers can sell a specified quantity of paddy at government subsidized prices. He directed the officials present there to keep a watchful eye so that our farmer friends are not harassed in any way for selling paddy at government subsidized price at the paddy buying center.
Today’s function was attended by, Raval Hemendra Kumar, Special Secretary, Department of Food and Civil Supplies, Director of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department Sharadindu Das, Chairperson of Jirania Panchayat Samiti Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shantiranjan Chakma, Additional Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sushanta Debbarma, Jirania Agriculture Sub-Divisional Agriculture Supervisory Officer Subrata Das, Food Corporation of India officials and other dignitaries and local paddy farmers.
