seven-year jail for those procuring paddy below MSP

Bhubaneswar,  Provision of seven-year jail term for those procuring paddy from farmers below the Minimum Support Price (MSP) was recommended to the Odisha government on Monday by the state assembly”s Standing Committee for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare.

The committee, chaired by Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra, also recommended installing CCTV cameras in all the mandis to protect the interest of the farmers.

“We have recommended the state government to make provision of seven-year jail term for the people who purchase paddy below the MSP,” Mishra said after a meeting of the committee.

The committee also denounced certain provisions in the three farm bills recently passed in Parliament.

The committee, while discussing different issues related to farmers and paddy procurement, came down on authorities responsible for putting cultivators in trouble.

The members of the committee, belonging to different parties, joined the meeting through video links. PTI