Punjab Rice Millers End Strike After CM Intervention

Chandigarh, Oct 5 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday assured state rice millers that he will take up their issues with the Centre, following which they called off their strike, according to a government statement.

During a meeting with the representatives of the rice millers' association, the CM said the state government has already flagged the issue of shortage of space with the Government of India after which it has already agreed to free 40 lakh metric tonne space in the state by December 2024 and 90 lakh MT by March 2025, the statement said.

The rice mills had been on strike in support of various demands, including creation of more space for storing the paddy crop.

The Centre has given written assurance regarding the movement of wheat and paddy from the state, he said, adding that the Food Corporation of India has already submitted a plan for the movement of the 15 lakh MT of wheat and paddy in the state.

Mann said 48 lakh MT wheat has been stored in owned and hired godowns of the state government and the movement of which will be done by March 2025.

He said free storage will be then utilised for storing paddy for which the feasibility will be explored.

Dwelling on another issue, the CM said the millers who have paddy storage capacity of more than 5,000 MT need to give bank guarantee equivalent to 5 per cent of the acquisition cost.

However, he said from now onwards, instead of taking bank guarantee from millers, a lien will be taken in favour of the department on the basis of land record of a mill.

Mann also gave his consent to return 10 per cent custom milled rice (CMR) securities of millers which have been pending since long.

The CM also agreed that from now onwards, millers will have to pay CMR at the rate of Rs 10 per MT.

He also gave a nod to exempt allotment of existing mills from physical verification.

Mann also directed deputy commissioners to ensure that harvesting of paddy does not take place from 6 pm to 10 am to check moisture content.

He also asked the Mandi Board to purchase moisture meters, adding that 17 per cent moisture content during purchase of paddy should be ensured.

The CM said the state government will also take up the issues of driage restoration from 0.50 per cent to 1 per cent of minimum support price, reimbursement of transportation charges for rice delivered outside the milling centre and not to charge backward movement charges and others with the Union government.