Odisha’s Chief Secretary, Anu Garg, conducted a comprehensive review of the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department’s operations.
The meeting, held at the conference hall in Lok Seva Bhawan on Saturday, emphasised the status of Kharif paddy procurement, the efficiency of the Public Distribution System (PDS), and the modernisation of departmental processes.
Key officials in attendance included Principal Secretary of the Supplies, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department, Sanjay Kumar Singh; Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Cooperation Department, Rajesh Prabhakar Patil; and Managing Director of the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. (OSCSC), K. Sudarshan Chakravarthy, along with other senior departmental officers.
During the review, it was revealed that for the 2025-26 paddy procurement season, 19,67,812 farmers have registered their names. The total registered paddy cultivation area stands at 61,67,414 acres. In comparison, the 2024-25 season saw procurement of 73.45 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of Kharif paddy and 19.18 LMT of Rabi paddy.
As of January 3, 2026, paddy procurement has commenced in 18 districts, with approximately 11.84 LMT already procured. A total of 2,71,318 farmers have sold 12.05 LMT of paddy. Procurement preparations are ongoing in other districts, considering the current paddy harvesting status.
To ensure smooth sales for farmers, the department has leveraged advanced technology, including satellite imagery for transparency in the procurement process. Key measures include linking farmers to cooperative societies, implementing a token system, quality checks, timely lifting of paddy by millers, direct bank transfers to farmers within 48 hours of sale, and specified rice collection from millers. The Chief Secretary conducted a detailed analysis of these aspects and provided necessary guidance.
For effective management, CCTV surveillance has been installed at procurement centres (mandis), mobile applications are available for nodal officers, and online tracking monitors vehicle movements from mandis to millers’ depots. Any delays are addressed promptly through a 24×7 call centre, rapid response teams, and feedback mechanisms. A total of 1,418 millers have been engaged across districts.
The meeting also addressed storage challenges due to high procurement volumes, emphasising the need for additional smart godowns. Around 4,000 procurement centres are operational with support from 2,600 Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), over 400 women’s self-help groups (SHGs), and various panchayats. The state utilises 162 government godowns with a combined capacity of 6.5 LMT.
On the distribution front, over 11,700 fair price shops handle food grain transportation and allocation statewide. Under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the State Food Security Scheme, 3,27,83,673 beneficiaries receive rice. Notably, e-KYC verification has been completed for 96% of these beneficiaries.
Expressing satisfaction with the modernisation of paddy procurement and PDS operations, Chief Secretary Garg stressed prioritising farmers’ interests. She advised ensuring timely paddy lifting from mandis, providing all necessary facilities to avoid inconveniences for farmers, and regular monitoring of the call centre and control room for overall efficient management.
