Patna, Jan. 12: Food and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak today admitted that the pace of paddy procurement in the state was sluggish but assured to speed up the process soon.

He exuded confidence that the agencies involved in the process would meet the 30 lakh tonne target by April 15, 2013, when the process ends. He said the procurement was sluggish because of weather.

Rajak also announced the launch of the doorstep delivery scheme, under which Bihar State Food Corporation would despatch foodgrain to public distribution shops.

Of the five months during which paddy is procured, Primary Agriculture Co-operative Societies and Bihar State Food Corporation together have procured 70,000 MT in the past three months. The paddy procurement, which began on November 15 last year, would end on April 15.

Principal secretary Shishir Sinha asked farmers to get paddy samples checked for moisture content before bringing to procurement centres that would buy paddy with moisture content of up to 17 per cent.