Bhubaneswar: The Naveen Patnaik Government’s visionary decision to allow Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to procure paddy has started to bear fruits at the ground level as the WSHGs in 8 districts have registered a net turnover Rs.319 crore during Rabi crop 2019-20.
The WSHG entrepreneurs have also generated Rs5.49 crore as their commission during the same period maintaining all COVID norms.
The women SHGs were procured paddy in major paddy producing districts including Bargarh, Balangir, Bhadrak, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Koraput, Nuapada and Sambalpur districts.
Meanwhile, more than 200 WSHGs have started farmers’ registration process in 11 districts.
The paddy procurement has also ensured that the farmers get minimum support price for paddy and prevent them from exploitation of private traders.
The women SHGs have been provided the necessary training for online procurement under P-PAS.
The procurement of paddy by the Women SHGs is proved to be one of the social and economic transformations of women from the poorest of the poor families in the rural and remote areas. It has now turned into an entrepreneurship model for others to emulate.
The paddy procurement centres across the state are being operating according to the guidelines and instructions laid down by the State Government and farmers don’t need to wait for miller trucks at the mandis for hauling up their stocks.