Unscrupulous PACS staff to face action

Stern action will be taken against PACS employees found guilty of purchasing paddy from farmers at lower rates and selling it at higher prices

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Jagatsinghpur

FOOD Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Krushna Chandra Patra on Saturday warned of strict action against unscrupulous staff of primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) found indulging in procuring paddy from farmers at prices lower than the minimum support price fixed by the government.

The warning came after it came to light that several unscrupulous PACS employees, in collusion with local traders, had been actively procuring paddy from farmers at lower rates and further selling them at high prices earning huge profit in the process. Several farmer organisations had recently approached the department in this connection alleging the illegal practice forced farmers to resort to distress sale of their stock.