Bhubaneswar, 4 December (H.S.): The Odisha Government has reviewed the preparations for millet procurement and distribution under the Shree Anna Abhiyan, with Principal Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Department, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, chairing a high-level meeting on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by Odisha State Supply Corporation (OSSC) Managing Director Shri Sudarshan Chakravarthy, Director of Agriculture and Food Production Shri Shubham Saxena, and senior officials from the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Odisha Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation Limited (OTDCC), and the Agriculture Department.
Key decisions were taken to streamline this year’s millet procurement programme and ensure maximum participation of farmers. District Collectors have been directed to maintain strict vigilance to prevent exploitation by unscrupulous traders during the procurement process.
The meeting also reviewed the distribution mechanism for procured millet across various State Government schemes, as well as its supply to the Central Government’s buffer stock through the Food Corporation of India.
Highlighting last year’s achievements, officials noted that 7,58,000 quintals of millet were procured, and for the first time, over 1 lakh quintals were exported to Andhra Pradesh and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Reaffirming the state's commitment, Dr. Padhee said Odisha is determined to promote climate-resilient crops like millets, particularly in the context of increasing climate change challenges.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
