Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MPs on Friday demanded that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) should immediately start lifting surplus parboiled rice from Odisha, which it has stopped arbitrarily.
BJD’s Rajya Sabha members Prasanna Acharya, Amar Patnaik, Sasmit Patra and Prashanta Nanda raised the issue of non-procurement of surplus parboiled rice from Odisha by the FCI, during Zero Hour of the Budget Session in Parliament.
They stressed that the FCI’s decision to not lift surplus parboiled rice would severely affect farmers of the state.
Acharya said that Odisha has been procuring rice from millers on behalf of the Centre and the surplus rice is delivered to the FCI.
“But unfortunately, the FCI has refused to lift any parboiled rice in 2021-22. Orders have been issued to lift only 5 lakh MT parboiled rice and 2 lakh MT raw rice. As a result, Odisha has been left with 15 lakh MT surplus rice,” he said.
Patra also raised the issue of implementation of the Swaminathan Commission Report’s recommendations for farmers.
