- Minister Kaushik Rai Reviews Preparedness, Sets Target of 8.49 Lakh Metric Tonnes

Guwahati, 31 October (HS): Paddy procurement for the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2026–27 (First Crop) will commence across Assam from November 1, with the state government setting a procurement target of 8.49 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) through 181 notified Paddy Procurement Centres (PPCs).

The Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the season has been fixed at ₹2,441 per quintal. The state government's additional incentive for paddy procurement will be announced at the next Cabinet meeting.

State Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Kaushik Rai on Saturday chaired a video conference with District Commissioners of all districts to review preparations and ensure the smooth implementation of the procurement process.

During the meeting, Rai said that officers from the Agriculture Department had been deputed as PPC managers. He asked all District Commissioners to attach two additional staff members to each procurement centre to ensure adequate manpower and efficient functioning.

The minister directed the District Commissioners to organise meetings with registered farmers and members of PPC Monitoring Committees, headed by local MLAs, to familiarise them with the procurement procedures and benefits. He also instructed the committees to meet every fortnight to review the functioning of the centres and resolve operational issues.

Emphasising transparency and accountability, Rai urged District Commissioners, Additional District Commissioners (ADCs) of Agriculture and Supply departments to regularly visit the procurement centres and monitor their functioning. He also directed the authorities to ensure toilet facilities at every PPC for the convenience of farmers.

Rai said he would personally review the procurement progress every month, while the Managing Director of Assam Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (AFCSCL) would conduct weekly reviews. He further directed officials to ensure that payments at the MSP rate are credited to farmers' bank accounts within one week of procurement.

Earlier, the minister held a separate video conference with MLAs and District Commissioners of Golaghat and Nagaon to discuss the feasibility of introducing the Decentralised Procurement (DCP) system in these districts. He asked the concerned authorities to examine the proposal and take a decision within one week.

At present, the DCP system is operational only in Bongaigaon and Biswanath districts. Highlighting its importance in ensuring the availability of locally procured rice for consumption within Assam, Rai subsequently urged all District Commissioners to explore the possibility of introducing the system in their respective districts.

Reviewing the procurement performance of the previous season and the issues raised by various districts, the minister called upon officials to work in close coordination and achieve their respective targets well before the stipulated deadline.

He emphasised that the primary objective of the initiative was to ensure that genuine farmers receive the full benefits of the government's procurement programme through a transparent, accessible and farmer-friendly mechanism.

The video conference was attended by Additional Chief Secretary of the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department Biswaranjan Samal, Department Secretary Anusua Dutta Barua, AFCSCL Managing Director Parijat Bhuyan, FCI Assam General Manager Manoj Kumar and other senior officials.------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Sriprakash