Punjab CM Urges Central Intervention for Rice Millers’ Demands

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appealed to the Union Consumer Affairs Minister to address the state's rice millers' demands. He highlighted the need to shift rice and wheat out of Punjab to make space for the upcoming paddy crop and suggested multiple solutions to resolve the issue.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday appealed to the Union Consumer Affairs Minister, urging the acceptance of the state rice millers' demands to shift wheat and rice out of Punjab. This move, he argued, is essential for creating adequate storage for the impending fresh paddy crop.

Mann explained that usually, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) receives milled rice by March 31. However, this year, due to a lack of space, the delivery period had to be extended to September 30. This extension has led to reluctance among Punjab millers to lift and store paddy for the upcoming Kharif Marketing Season 2024-25.

He suggested several strategies, such as the advance lifting of rice by consuming states and selling rice to bio-ethanol manufacturing units at subsidized prices, to mitigate the storage crisis. Mann also emphasized the need for fair compensation for millers if rice needs to be transported beyond their milling centers and for a scientific study to determine the out turn ratio (OTR) of hybrid rice varieties. The urgency of these demands, Mann asserted, is crucial to avoid potential agitations and law-and-order issues in Punjab.

(With inputs from agencies.)