Bhubaneswar, May 26: The House committee of the Assembly will seek an appointment again with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to place the state's demand to increase the minimum support price of paddy.

Agriculture minister Damodar Rout said: "The House committee today discussed the issue. We will try to get an appointment with the Prime Minister by June 30 to discuss this issue."

Former food supplies and consumer welfare minister Sanjay Das Burma said: "Earlier, we had sought an appointment with the Prime Minister. But our request was not entertained. Instead the Prime Minister's office asked us to meet the minister concerned. But as the Assembly passed a resolution to this effect, we want Prime Minister to intervene as it is related to the interest of the farmers."

The minimum support price of paddy is now fixed at Rs 1,460 a quintal. But the state government is demanding Rs 2,930 for a quintal of paddy.

Earlier, the he Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution demanding that the Centre enhance the minimum support price of paddy.

The House committee will be headed by the Asembly Speaker Pradeep Amat, with MLAs of all political parties as its members. The Assembly committee sought the appointment in June after the Centre declared the minimum support price. The Centre fixes the minimum support price for agricultural products. The issue came to the forefront when leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra submitted a notice in the budget session of the Assembly to move a resolution urging the central government to revise the minimum support price from the existing Rs 1,450 because the cost of production of paddy has increased over the years. Later, the state government had agreed to recommend the Centre to hike the minimum support price to Rs 2,500 a quintal.

Mishra had also resigned from the business advisory committee of the Assembly accusing the government of not taking up issues related to farmers. When the issue snowballed into a major controversy, it was also debated several times in the Assembly. Cutting across party lines, the MLAs supported the demand and the House unanimously passed a resolution to this effect.