The rice millers have refused milling of about four lakh tonnes of paddy stock of the last year. The millers have been claiming that the paddy has totally been damaged and its milling is not possible. They are now milling the new paddy stock only.
It has been learnt that about four lakh tonnes of paddy of last year's paddy stock is still remaining for milling. Sometime back also the millers had stopped work, but over different issue. After the intervention of the Secretary, Food Department, the millers had agreed to work, but this time they have clearly refused to lift the paddy stock of last year.
Rice Millers' Association president Yogesh Agrawal said that the paddy stock of last year has completely been damaged. It cannot be milled and because of that the millers are not ready to mill it. He said that a large quantity of the new paddy stock being lifted is also damaged. The State Government has been trying to get the 26 lakh tonnes paddy stock of the current year lifted before June 30.
However, because of the slow speed of milling, it seems to be difficult. It has also been learnt that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) too has not been lifting the rice speedily, as there is a storage problem.
Recently, Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand had discussions with all the district collectors through video conferencing, in which he had collected information about the status of rice milling work in the State. He had asked the collectors to take immediate measures for getting paddy stocks milled.