In a significant push towards efficient and transparent agricultural support, the Odisha State Government has implemented a robust digital platform to ensure the timely disbursement of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Input Assistance to paddy farmers.
This initiative marks a milestone in farmer welfare, incorporating Aadhaar-based e-KYC verification for the first time to prevent errors and duplicate payments, guaranteeing that benefits reach only genuine registered farmers via the P-PAS (Paddy Procurement Automation System) portal.
The government has already disbursed a substantial Rs 12,703.74 crore to 10,56,693 farmers as part of MSP and Input Assistance programs. So far, over 7.99 lakh farmers have benefited from the ongoing paddy procurement operations across the state, highlighting the scale and success of the drive.
Despite the smooth rollout, a small fraction of cases—totalling 5,562—have encountered bank account-related issues, leading to payment delays. These primarily stem from accounts hitting maximum transaction limits, such as those in Jan Dhan, Airtel Payments Bank, or India Post Payments Bank. Other common problems include inactive or frozen accounts, lack of Aadhaar seeding, account closures, and pending KYC updates.
To resolve these hurdles, the state administration has mobilised district-level field functionaries and officials to actively engage with affected farmers. They are guiding them to visit their banks for necessary corrections. Additionally, farmers are being notified through regular SMS alerts and phone calls detailing the specific error types, enabling quick action.
Enhancing support further, the government has bolstered its grievance redressal system. Farmers facing any issues related to paddy procurement or payments can reach out via the toll-free helpline 1967 for prompt assistance and clarification.
This digital overhaul not only underscores the government’s commitment to transparency but also aims to build trust among farmers, ensuring error-free and timely financial aid in the agricultural sector.
