Odisha has targeted the procurement of 86 lakh tonnes of paddy this year. To streamline the transport system during the paddy procurement process and address the significant delays in loading paddy at mandis and unloading at mills, the State Transport Authority has proposed several recommendations.
The Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur has advised that all truck owners should install vehicle location tracking devices by November 15.
Transport Commissioner Mr Thakur held discussions with the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., Truck Owners Association, and transport contractors at the office in Cuttack to coordinate the transport system for paddy procurement.
Mr. Thakur provided suggestions to ensure smooth transportation of paddy as the procurement process is set to begin at the end of November. The Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation is set to issue a tender for paddy transportation. The meeting was convened to take proactive steps in involving more truck owners in the process. Various issues faced by truck owners during paddy transportation were discussed in detail. Sudhakar Sahu, Chief Manager of the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., highlighted several aspects of the tender.
Mr. Thakur also suggested that to avoid discrepancies in paddy procurement, a representative from the miller should be present at the mandi during loading, and the paddy should be covered with tarpaulin and sealed after loading.
The installation of vehicle location tracking devices on trucks was proposed as a solution to the delays in unloading. Mr. Thakur recommended that the State Civil Supplies Corporation amend the tender rules by reducing the EMD ratio to three percent and lowering the transport experience requirements for eligibility.
Senior officials from the State Transport Authority, along with Ravi Satpathy, General Secretary of the Odisha Truck Owners Federation, Sarat Chandra Pradhan, President of the Odisha Truck Owners Association, and many transport operators, attended the meeting.
