The Odisha government is yet to receive a staggering Rs 8000 crore from the Centre for rice supplied to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), according to Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra.
The dues, pending for several years, were discussed during a heated session in the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
Responding to a question raised by senior BJD MLA Pratap Keshari Deb, the Minister revealed that the state had produced 63 lakh metric tonnes of rice in the 2024–25 fiscal year, out of which 50 lakh metric tonnes were lifted by FCI. However, 13 lakh metric tonnes remain as surplus, awaiting clearance.
Despite repeated requests, the Centre has not agreed to release the payment. Discussions are ongoing, and the Minister assured that another round of talks will be held soon. If FCI refuses to lift the surplus rice, the state plans to initiate a tender process to sell the stock independently.
To manage the surplus, the government has begun the process of constructing new warehouses with a capacity of 10 lakh metric tonnes to store the rice safely.
The issue was raised amid noisy protests by Congress members over women’s safety and the rejection of their no-confidence notice. Still, the Assembly continued its deliberations on the rice procurement and dues.
Opposition Deputy Leader Prasanna Acharya questioned the exact quantity of rice lifted and the outstanding dues. Minister Patra confirmed the figures and reiterated the state’s efforts to resolve the matter with the Centre.
