‘Last bag of paddy would be procured’

Finance and Civil Supplies Minister Eatala Rajender has asserted that the State government was committed to procure paddy from farmers as assured.

As against the targeted 32 lakh metric tonne for the current rabi season, the government had procured 33 lakh metric tonne so far. The quantum procured included the paddy crop that suffered damages due to the untimely rains that lashed several parts of the State in the past few weeks. “We are committed to procure the last bag of paddy from farmers,” he said.

The Minister told reporters here on Wednesday that the reforms initiated by the government in procurement and related processes had ensured that millers were returning rice within stipulated time after milling paddy. The government could effectively check practices like a section of millers obtaining bank loans on the basis of the paddy given to them.

Payments streamlined

Steps had been initiated to ensure that payments to millers were made on time and the entire transactions had been streamlined since the introduction of e-POS system. Besides, steps had been taken to enhance the internal efficiency of the Civil Supplies Corporation which was bridging the losses it had suffered in the past.

Mr. Rajender, however, urged consumers who were not willing to consume rice supplied through public distribution system not to draw rice from fair price shops and sell it to middlemen. The government was spending ₹30 per kg of rice that was being procured and supplying it to the deserving below poverty line families at ₹1 a kg. “The ceiling for drawl of rice had also been lifted and it will not be appropriate for consumers to draw the rice and sell it to middlemen,” he said.

Asked about the food security cards, he said the government had received over two lakh applications of which 70,000 had been cleared after verifying the details of the beneficiaries. The remaining applications would also be cleared once the department completed the necessary process involved in the issuance of these cards.