Bhubaneswar: Acting tough on erring millers for failing to return custom milling rice (CMR) on time, the state government Tuesday suspended supply of paddy to 81 millers.
Talking to the media at the Secretariat here, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surya Narayan Patro said supply of paddy to these millers have been stopped as they failed to return the rice, against the paddy stock allotted to them previously. “They were supposed to return the milled rice against the paddy stock within the agreed deadline of two months from the date of receiving the paddy,” he said.
The minister further said that state government has directed the collectors to crack down on procurement agencies and millers who are returning less rice on the pretext of FAQ. A large quantity of rice has also been seized in Malkangiri and other districts during raids at millers’ premises, the minister said.
Meanwhile, despite reports of crop loss due to drought, unseasonal rain and pest attacks, state government is expecting a bumper paddy production this season.
Patro said that state has already procured 30 per cent excess paddy vis-à-vis last year.
“We have already procured 14.32 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this Kharif season. In all, 232,075 farmers and 750 millers have registered in the paddy procurement drive,” he said, adding, “The state government has already paid `1,877crore to farmers towards paddy purchase.”
The minister further said, “While our procurement target for Kharif 2017-18 is 56 lakh tonnes, we expect that procurement will be over 70 lakh tonnes.”
Patro informed that the state government is also in talks with FCI, which is yet to clear dues worth Rs 3,500 crore to the state government towards supply of rice to other states though the Central agency in past.
PNN