Bhubaneswar, Jul 31: The registration process for Kharif paddy procurement in Odisha has hit a major roadblock due to the unavailability of essential iris scanner machines across 16 districts.

Farmers are facing significant delays and frustration as biometric verification becomes nearly impossible without the required equipment.

According to official sources, a total of 979 iris scanners are urgently needed to facilitate smooth registration. The absence of these machines has disrupted operations at Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS), which are responsible for enrolling farmers for the procurement scheme.

Districts most affected include Jajpur, Nabarangpur, Sundargarh, and Bhadrak. As many as 147 machines are needed in Jajpur, while 115 for Nabarangpur, 104 for Sundargarh, and 100 machines for Bhadrak district.

Farmers in these regions have expressed their distress, citing long queues and repeated visits to registration centres without success. Many fear missing out on the procurement benefits due to technical bottlenecks.

In response, the Chief Supply Officer has issued directives to PACS and LAMPS to expedite the procurement and deployment of iris scanners. The state government is also exploring alternative biometric solutions to ease the process temporarily.

The iris scanner shortage not only delays registration but also threatens the timely procurement of Kharif paddy, which is crucial for both farmers’ income and the state’s food security planning.

Authorities are under pressure to resolve the issue swiftly, especially as the registration deadline approaches and the monsoon harvest season intensifies.

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