Dikhyaa Mohanty 
During the Rabi season of Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025–2026, the Odisha government finalized a thorough operational framework and administrative protocol for paddy procurement, with a focus on protecting the interests of small and marginal farmers and avoiding irregularities in the procurement process. Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo chaired the high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee meeting, which was attended by Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari via video conference from Deogarh, Minister of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Krushna Chandra Patra, Minister of Cooperation Pradeep Bal Samanta, and Minister of Panchayati Raj Rabi Narayan Naik.
Singh Deo emphasized throughout the meeting the necessity of removing leakages and unlawful trade activities while ensuring that legitimate farmers get the most out of the procurement system. The state administration released a number of digital and field-level enforcement instructions to improve accountability and openness. In collaboration with field inspectors and civil society organizations, district collectors have been directed to conduct daily operational evaluations.
Strict border sealing to stop illegal paddy from entering the state, obligatory IRIS scanning of farmers at Mandis, and forced paddy weighing only in approved procurement centers are some of the significant steps outlined. Additionally, the government has implemented a strict digital grievance redressal system that requires all complaints pertaining to procurement that are filed on the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FS&CW) grievance site to be addressed by designated nodal persons within a day. Additionally, state-level control rooms have been merged with a specialized toll-free complaints helpline, 1967.
The committee further emphasized infrastructural preparedness and inter-departmental coordination to ensure smooth procurement operations. Departments including Revenue, Cooperation, Police, Transport and Agriculture have been directed to work in close coordination, while all districts will mandatorily implement a Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) for transportation monitoring.
