Odisha Uses Satellite Imagery to Ensure Transparent Paddy Procurement

Bhubaneswar, Jan 3 : In a move to enhance transparency and fairness in paddy procurement, the Odisha government has introduced satellite imagery to verify agricultural plots across the state. The initiative aims to protect genuine farmers and prevent misuse of public resources during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26.

The satellite-based verification system identifies suspected non-cultivated paddy plots, which are then subjected to thorough field inspections. This ensures accurate identification of paddy-cultivated land and eliminates ineligible registrations.

So far, a total of 26,14,137 plots across 30 districts have been earmarked for verification, with field checks completed for 24,94,437 plots. Of these, 5,46,591 plots were confirmed as paddy-cultivated, while approximately 19 lakh plots were found to be non-paddy land.

District-level DRCS officials have been instructed to issue show-cause notices to farmers who have mistakenly registered non-cultivated land as paddy fields.

The verification process follows a three-step approach: identification of suspected plots through satellite imagery, physical verification by district officials, and final approval by DRCS authorities. Tokens for paddy procurement are generated only for plots confirmed to be cultivated, while suspected or non-cultivated plots remain ineligible.

Officials said the initiative is a significant step toward ensuring fairness in paddy procurement and safeguarding the interests of genuine farmers.