Bhubaneswar, February 16: The Jagatsinghpur District Collector has suspended two officials posted at a paddy procurement center in Machhagaon under Balikuda block, following allegations of irregularities and negligence in duty.
The Mandi nodal officer Mohan Kumar Jena and Mandi Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS) officer Sishir Kumar Panda were suspended on Sunday after repeated complaints from local farmers regarding procurement issues.
According to the report, a dispute had erupted at the mandi over token distribution, leading to confrontations between farmers and PACS staff nearly four days ago. Following an inquiry, the District Collector took action to address the grievances and ensure smooth procurement operations.
It is noteworthy that on January 27, Food Supplies Minister Krushna Patra flagged concerns over irregularities in certain mandis, citing malpractice by some rice mills during the ongoing paddy procurement process.
