look news india
Chandigarh, August 29 (HS). In Haryana, the government has an amount of more than Rs 500 crore of rice millers who take paddy from government procurement agencies and give rice. More than 500 rice millers of Ambala, Yamunanagar and Panchkula have warned that if the dues are not paid and the arrangements are not proper, they will not mill paddy in the coming season. In this regard, the Northern Haryana Rice Millers Association has also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Naib Saini and the concerned officials. Association President Satpal Gupta, Secretary Vishal Arora and Treasurer Rahul Agarwal said in a conversation with the media on Thursday that rice millers are incurring huge losses due to non-lifting of rice on time by Food Corporation of India, Hafed and Haryana Warehousing Corporation. Millers who have been working in Custom Milled Rice (CMR) for the last 20 years are going through a very difficult phase today. He said that about Rs 500 crore of the last four seasons from the year 2020-21 till now is not being paid, which includes unloading expenses, stacking, transportation fare etc. Last year, due to lack of space in government warehouses, the delivery of rice was late, due to which the millers suffered huge financial losses. Even today, the delivery of about 2.5 lakh tonnes of rice is pending. In such a situation, the rice millers of North Haryana are unable to do the work of CMR in the coming season.
Association officials demanded that the outstanding amount be paid immediately. The godowns should be vacated for storing rice. Milling charges should be increased from Rs 10 per quintal to Rs 120 per quintal on the lines of states like Chhattisgarh. The quantity of rice production for CMR delivery should be reduced from 67 percent to 62 percent and the quantity of broken rice should be increased from 25 percent to 35 percent. The quantity of dry rice should be increased from half percent to two percent. The cost of packaging should be paid at the rate of Rs 14.19 per quintal without bill. Proper fare should be paid for storing rice from the rice mill to the godown. If rice millers store paddy in their sheller, then fare for that should also be paid. Association officials warned that if the demands are not met, they will not enter into any agreement or registration with government procurement agencies.