In a letter to Union Minister of State for Food, Consumer Affairs and Distribution KV Thomas, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has urged him that custom-milled rice received after May 31, 2013 should be accepted in the Central Pool. Besides, carrying cost of paddy beyond June 30, 2012 should also be borne by the Centre.
The Chief Minister wrote that production of paddy is constantly increasing in Madhya Pradesh. It was 14 lakh MT in year 2009-10, which has increased to 40 lakh MT in year 2013-14. Paddy procurement in the State was 2.23 lakh MT in year 2009-10, which is expected to rise upto 20 lakh MT this year. Chouhan wrote that unprecedented increase in procurement is posing a challenge to the State in terms of timely milling and disposal of the rice in a State.
State’s milling capacity is limited. In view of this problem, the state government has sanctioned 22 new mills under incentive scheme to food processing units. This will increase the milling capacity in the State by nearly 3 lakh MT per annum. However, these measures will help only in future. Drawing attention towards the difficulties the State is facing in milling the procured paddy due to limited milling capacity, the Chief Minister informed Thomas that the Central Government usually gives time till June 30 i.e. 5 months for milling of the paddy procured in a season.
During year 2011-12, Madhya Pradesh has produced unprecedented large quantity of 9.40 lakh MT paddy. The Central Government extended this limit upto May 31, 2013 but with the rider that storage cost and interest on such quantity will not be borne by the Central Government. This condition was not fair because non-milling was not because of administrative inefficiency but lack of milling capacity.
The State Government tried to complete the milling by the given deadline but still a quantity of 13,662 MT of custom-milled rice (CMR) could not be received only after the given deadline of May 30, 2013. State’s Food & Civil Supplies Department had requested the Central Government to accept this CMR but the request has been turned down by the Central Government.
In the light of above facts, the Chief Minister has urged the Union Government to accept custom-milled rice received after May 31, 2013 in the central pool and bear its carrying cost beyond June 30, 2012.