Despite ban, millers getting paddy from other states

Kulwinder Sandhu

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Tribune News Service

Moga, November 22

Despite the Punjab Government putting a ban on the procurement of paddy and custom-milled rice by millers from other states, there have been reports that many millers in Moga, Bathinda, Sangrur, Ferozepur and Ludhiana districts are getting paddy and rice from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states to mix it with locally produced rice. The process of milling has begun for this season.

By importing paddy, the millers are evading the market fee and the rural development fund (RDF) levied by the Punjab Government on the purchase of food grain. By importing raw rice of poor quality, they aim to cheat the Food Corporation of India (FCI) by supplying substandard rice in the central pool.

This illegal business is being allegedly carried out through rice brokers in Punjab, Bihar, Delhi and UP, who also purchase government rice meant for the Public Distribution System from the black market and sell it to rice millers.

Insiders revealed that rice millers mix low-priced sub-standard rice with FCI stocks and sell good-quality rice in the open market at higher prices. The entire procured stock of paddy in Punjab is sent to private millers for cleaning, shelling and polishing of grain. Millers return the finished product back to the FCI for the central pool.

On November 9, the Punjab Food Supply Department’s vigilance wing team caught six trucks transporting paddy from other states for illegal sale in Punjab. One of the trucks was caught at Salem Tabri Mandi in Ludhiana, two trucks in Sangrur, two trucks in Sunam (Sangrur) and another truck on the premises of MK Rice Mill in Sunam (Sangrur).

Preliminary investigations revealed that all these trucks had entered Punjab via Ramnagar inter-state barrier in Patiala district. The trucks also pass through Shambu and Khanauri inter-state barriers. The rice brokers allegedly pay a fixed amount of “bribe” to policemen on duty to pass the trucks.

On November 12, the Food and Civil Supplies Department impounded five trucks in Bathinda, which were carrying paddy brought from other states. The department also raided the premises of KG Rice Mill, Rampura Phul, and found a truck unloading 600 bags of paddy while another truck loaded with 600 bags was parked outside the mill. Investigations revealed that paddy was procured from Bihar for illegal sale in the local market by evading market fee and the RDF.

A few weeks back, the Food and Civil Supplies Department found 35,000 bags of unaccounted paddy in a rice mill located on Lande-Bhaloor road in Baghapurana sub-division of the Moga district. This paddy was purchased without paying market fee and the RDF. However, the owners of the rice later paid both and no FIR has been registered in this regard.