Bhubaneswar: The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday urged the Centre to intervene in the issue of rice lifting from Odisha, warning that the accumulation of stocks could affect the state’s upcoming paddy procurement season.
The party alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and in Odisha have failed to resolve the issue despite repeated representations. BJD leaders claimed that large quantities of rice are piling up in storage facilities across the state due to the slow pace of lifting by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Addressing a press conference at the BJD headquarters, former ministers and party vice-presidents Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Sanjay Dasburma alleged that the FCI was not lifting rice from Odisha at the required pace.
The leaders expressed concern that the mounting stocks could create storage-related challenges and adversely affect the procurement of paddy from farmers during the upcoming procurement season.
The BJD leaders called upon the Centre to take immediate steps to accelerate the lifting of rice from Odisha and ensure that adequate storage capacity remains available for the new procurement cycle.
The party also criticised the state government for allegedly failing to effectively pursue the matter with the Centre and sought urgent intervention to prevent difficulties for farmers during the forthcoming paddy procurement season.
