Nitish Kumar Reviews Paddy Procurement for Kharif 2024-25, Urges Swift and Efficient Process to Support Farmers

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday held a review meeting regarding paddy procurement in Kharif marketing year 2024-25 and gave many necessary instructions to the officials. The Chief Minister told the officials to do the work of paddy procurement faster and in a better manner so that the farmers do not face any kind of problem. During the review, the Chief Minister said that the government is ready to help the farmers in every possible way.

While giving instructions to the officials, he said that special care should be taken that the people associated with agricultural work do not face any inconvenience in paddy procurement. While giving instructions to keep the district-wise target of paddy procurement as per the estimated production of paddy, the Chief Minister said that those who commit irregularities in paddy procurement work should also be monitored. In the meeting, Secretary of the Food and Consumer Protection Department Dr. N. Sarwan Kumar said that under Kharif marketing year 2024-25, this time the minimum support price of general grade paddy has been kept at Rs 2,300 per quintal. The proposed period for paddy procurement is from 1 November 2024 to 15 February 2025.

The process of paddy procurement has been started in a phased manner and this year the target of paddy procurement is 45 lakh metric tonnes. The number of parboiled rice mills in the state has increased to 360. In the meeting, Secretary of the Cooperative Department Dharmendra Singh also gave information about the action plan for paddy procurement. He informed that in the first phase, paddy procurement has been started in 19 districts of the state from Friday. Whereas, paddy procurement work will be started in the remaining districts from November 15. Many officials including Cooperative Minister Dr. Prem Kumar and Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Deepak Kumar were present in the meeting.