TNI Bureau: Food Supplies Minister Krushna Chandra Patra has announced that the state government will extend the validity of procurement tokens to ensure that all registered farmers can sell their paddy without difficulty. District Collectors have been authorized to extend token validity by up to 15 days, providing flexibility to farmers who face delays in bringing their produce to procurement centers.

The Minister informed that more than ₹17,000 crore has already been directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers. Payments are being processed within 48 hours of procurement to maintain steady financial support for growers.

So far, the government has procured about 63.65 lakh metric tons of paddy and is prepared to increase procurement to 80 lakh metric tons this season, aiming to surpass previous records.
Western Odisha districts such as Bargarh and Sambalpur have achieved nearly 95 percent procurement. A central command center is monitoring operations in real time.

The paddy procurement drive will continue until March 31, 2026, ensuring farmers receive adequate opportunities to sell their produce.