Kanpur District Magistrate Uncovers Widespread Paddy Procurement Irregularities
In a significant development affecting local farmers, Kanpur District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh conducted surprise inspections at four paddy procurement centers at Navin Mandi Sthal, Uttaripura, on Tuesday. The inspections were prompted by numerous complaints from farmers who had been unable to sell their paddy crops despite repeated attempts over several months.
Farmers Voice Their Frustrations Directly to DM
During the inspection, farmers including Shyam Babu from Madararay Gumanpur, Saroj Narayan Tripathi from Sujawalpur, and Rampal from Eima approached the District Magistrate directly with their grievances. They reported that despite bringing their paddy to the procurement centers multiple times since December, no purchases had been made, leaving them in financial distress.
"I have been trying to sell my paddy since December, yet no purchase has been made," farmer Shyam Babu told District Magistrate Singh during the inspection, highlighting the prolonged nature of the procurement failure.
Serious Irregularities Uncovered at Procurement Centers
The mandi has three procurement centers operated by the food department—Uttaripura Mandi First, Second, and Third—and one center run by UPSS. During questioning, the DM found the explanations provided by Neeraj Mishra, in-charge of Uttaripura Mandi Third procurement center, and Amit Dwivedi, the mandi procurement center in-charge, to be completely unsatisfactory.
Further scrutiny of records revealed shocking negligence: no paddy had been procured at the UPSS-operated center after February 12, despite farmers being present with their crops. The District Magistrate expressed strong displeasure that no responsible officer had conducted a site inspection since November 14, allowing the irregularities to continue unchecked for months.
Immediate Actions and Suspensions Ordered
Expressing his strong displeasure at the findings, District Magistrate Jitendra Pratap Singh directed that a letter be sent to the government recommending the immediate suspension of marketing inspector Neeraj Sharma. He further ordered that an adverse entry be made against the District Food Marketing Officer for the systemic failures.
The DM also discovered purchased paddy lying in the open, unprotected from potential weather damage. He immediately ordered its safe preservation to prevent any damage in case of rain. Additionally, filth was found throughout the mandi premises, for which in-charge mandi secretary Anil Pandey was reprimanded and directed to ensure immediate cleaning.
Three-Member Committee Formed for Comprehensive Investigation
To ensure a thorough inquiry into the paddy procurement irregularities, District Magistrate Singh issued instructions to constitute a three-member committee under the chairmanship of the SDM Bilhaur. The committee will include the ARO Supply and mandi secretary as members, tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into all aspects of paddy procurement at the affected centers.
Clear Directives for Future Procurement
The District Magistrate made it unequivocally clear that paddy brought by all farmers must be purchased according to established rules, with priority given to small farmers. He issued a stern warning that any complaint of farmers being made to run around unnecessarily would invite strict disciplinary action against responsible officials.
This incident highlights systemic issues in agricultural procurement systems that directly impact farmer livelihoods. The District Magistrate's proactive inspection and subsequent actions demonstrate a commitment to addressing these critical problems affecting Kanpur's agricultural community.
