Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, on Monday, met Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi and urged him to intervene and expedite the evacuation of rice from the state by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
Singh Deo, accompanied by several BJP MPs from Odisha, met the Union minister in New Delhi today and discussed the rice procurement target set for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25 and lifting of rice by FCI, according to an official statement.
Odisha has procured a record quantity of 92,64,235 MT of paddy during KMS 2024-25, which is equivalent to 62,62,086 MT of rice, which is the highest ever procurement in the state’s history, the official statement read.
“After the state’s consumption including Kharif and Rabi, there will be a surplus of 12 Lakh MT of rice, which needs to be lifted by FCI. Additionally, the slow pace of surplus rice evacuation by FCI hampering overall procurement operations,” it said.
Therefore, Deo requested Joshi to intervene in the matter and expedite the evacuation procedure.
“We urged the Hon’ble Minister to revise the central procurement target upward and expedite FCI’s monthly lifting rate, from 2.15 LMT to 5 LMT, to safeguard financial stability and storage planning for the State,” Deo wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
— Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo (Modiji Ka Parivar) (@KVSinghDeo1) July 28, 2025
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has also written a letter, citing the issue to the Union Minister. Joshi has assured to resolve the issue, the statement claimed.
Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Malvika Devi, Pratap Sarangi, Bhartuhari Mahtab, Pradeep Purohit, Sukanta Panigrahi, Anita Subhadarshini, Ananta Charan Nayak, Bhibhu Prasad Tarai, Dr. Rabindra Narayan Behara, Union Secretary, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Sanjiv Chopra were present during the meeting.
