FCI starts paddy procurement today

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 30

State Food and Supplies Minister Karan Dev Kamboj has said for the convenience of farmers, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) would start paddy procurement from tomorrow.

He said the state government was aware all the grievances of rice millers and solution had also been found to their problems. In this regard, two meetings under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had already been held with rice millers. They were satisfied with the decisions taken by the state government, he maintained.

Kamboj said more than 12 demands of rice millers were fulfilled at their meeting. These included reducing their security fee, installation of cameras and tarpaulin etc. “Apart from this, the state government has also written to the Centre to consider the tax being levied on the dispatched goods.”

In the current procurement season, 56,350 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy arrived in the state mandis till yesterday.

As on September 29, Ambala had received the maximum amount of paddy at 25,572 MT. Of the total arrival, 426 MT have arrived in Jind, 13,308 MT in Karnal, 2,279 MT in Kurukshetra, 8,295 MT in Panchkula and 6,650 MT in Yamunanagar.

He added that out of the total arrival, government procurement agencies had purchased 43,831 MT. The rice millers and dealers had purchased 12,699 MT.

Rice millers call off strike, claims govt

Chandigarh: A delegation led by Jaipal Jain, Executive President, Haryana Rice Millers and Dealers Association, met CM Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday and decided to call off their strike with immediate effect. Also, the association assured to procure paddy in mandis of the state on government rates. Jain said the govt heard all their demands and assured them of positive action. The state has made some amendments in 2013-14 policy according to which millers would pay only Rs 6 lakh as security instead of Rs 10 lakh. — TNS