Raipur, Oct 10 : The Chhattisgarh Cabinet has approved a major decision to begin paddy procurement for the Kharif marketing year 2025'26 at a rate of Rs 3,100 per quintal.

This initiative, set to commence on November 15, will benefit over 2.5 million farmers across the state. The procurement will continue until January 31, 2026, with a purchase limit of 21 quintals per acre.

Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, after cabinet meeting, informed media that a robust administrative framework will be put in place to prevent diversion and recycling of paddy.

Farmers will receive payments within six to seven days, ensuring transparency and efficiency.

To ease the process, the government has introduced an online token system through the "Tuhar Hath" mobile app, allowing farmers to schedule their paddy sales without standing in long queues at procurement centers.

To further enhance transparency, the state has made e-KYC registration mandatory on the AgriStake portal of the Ministry of Agriculture. This step aims to eliminate duplication and ensure accurate identification of genuine farmers.

The registration deadline is October 31, 2025.

A digital crop survey covering 23 lakh hectares has been completed, enabling precise online mapping of paddy acreage.

Since October 2, data from both digital surveys and manual Girdawari is being read aloud in Gram Sabhas across 20,000 villages, reinforcing public accountability.

Biometric verification will be used during procurement to ensure that only genuine farmers are able to sell their produce.

The state has designated 2,739 procurement centers, and committees managing these centers will receive an incentive of Rs 5 per quintal for maintaining zero dryness in the procured paddy.

To support the procurement process, arrangements are being made for adequate supply of both new and old jute bags.

The Food Department of the Government of India has set a target of 73 lakh metric tonnes of rice for the Central pool from Chhattisgarh.

In a first, the state will establish an Integrated Command and Control Center at the Markfed office to monitor procurement activities and prevent recycling. District-level control rooms will also be set up to strengthen oversight. To prevent illegal inflow of paddy from neighboring states, special checking teams will be formed at the district level.

Additionally, physical verification of paddy lifting and transportation will be conducted to ensure cost-effective and transparent logistics. This comprehensive plan reflects the state government's commitment to farmer welfare, technological integration, and transparent governance in agricultural procurement.

/IANS