Rice millers to boycott paddy storage over milling policy

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, September 7

Rice millers from across the state after a state-level meeting here on Friday announced to boycott storage of paddy in their mills from the forthcoming season if the state government fails to make required changes in the custom milling policy.

Around 1,200 millers alleged that the state government had imposed unrealistic conditions on the rice industry.

“In the new policy released last month, the government has imposed numerous conditions and no one can fulfil all. If required changes are not made in the policy, it will ruin the rice milling industry,” said Rajnish Kansal, state media incharge of the Rice Millers Association, Punjab.

The main demands of the millers included abolition of five per cent bank guarantee, end of interest over from miller over quality cut, government should take 67-kg rice from 99-kg paddy and one per cent dry benefit should go to miller, advance payment of user charges to miller to help miller maintain purchase and end of undertaking for levy security 350.

“A majority of rice millers are under huge debt due to the wrong policies of the state government. The new policy will only add to their woes,” said Kansal.

Punjab president Gian Chand Bhardwaj attended the meeting.

“The Congress has always supported the rice industry of the state. We will take required steps to redress their grievances,” said Cabinet Minister Vijay Inder Singla, who called the millers to his residence in Sangrur for discussion.