Punjab Cabinet on Thursday gave nod to “The Punjab Custom Milling Policy for Kharif 2022-23” for converting the procured paddy into custom milled rice and delivery of the same to Food Corporation of India (FCI) through rice mills of State.
The policy has been prepared for getting the paddy procured by State Procurement Agencies — Pungrain, Markfed, PUNSUP, and PSWC — converted into Custom Milled Rice and its delivery into Central Pool.
As per the policy, the Rice Mills will be linked to the procurement centres in time as per the purchase centre allotment list issued by the Department and the paddy will be stored at the eligible rice mills as per their entitlement and agreement executed between the state agencies and the rice millers.
The policy stipulates that the rice millers shall deliver the storage up to March 31, 2023, as per policy and agreement. Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2022-23 will start from October 1, 2022, and the procurement of paddy will be completed by November 30.
During KMS 2022-23, the paddy so procured will be stored in eligible rice mills situated in the State. Pertinently, the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs issues Custom Milling Policy every year before the commencement of the Kharif Marketing Season to get the paddy milled which is procured by the State Agencies as per the specifications laid down by the Government of India.
NOD TO PSPCL ACTION PLAN to STRENGTHEN DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
The Cabinet also approved PSPCL’s action plan for adoption and implementation of ‘Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme’ (RDSS). The implementation of RDSS will strengthen the distribution system, improve operational efficiency, and financial viability of PSPCL as well as quality and reliability of power supply to consumers. The Action Plan, worth Rs 25,237 crore, includes works pertaining to distribution infrastructure, metering and information technology or SCADA.
APPROVES INKING MoU WITH NLSF TO BUILT CITIZEN-CENTRIC ECOSYSTEM
To bring greater professional expertise towards building a citizen-centric and forward looking governance ecosystem, the Cabinet also gave its consent to ink MoU with Nudge Life Skills Foundation (NLSF) for a period of 27 months. The MoU will help in providing direct feedback and support to the Administrative Departments thereby enabling them to steer systems reforms through departmental or sub-departmental initiatives in areas of technological integration, process innovation, data management, collaborations, strengthen programs and others.
NOD TO CONSTITUTE SDMF
To reduce the risk of natural calamities by initiating mitigation measures, the Cabinet also gave nod to constitute the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF). With the constitution of SDMF, the State Government will further strengthen its efforts for coping with natural calamities and reducing their risks.
EX-FACTO APPROVAL FOR RELAXATION IN QUALITY NORMS FOR MOONG PROCUREMENT, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FARMERS
Giving big relief to state’s Moong growers, the Cabinet has given ex-facto approval to relax the quality norms fixed by the Central Government for purchase of Moong so that Markfed — the state nodal agency — is able to procure more and more moong at Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 7,225 per quintal with relaxed norms under State Pool during Marketing Season 2022-23. It will provide financial assistance to the farmers who have sold or will sell their moong crop at rate below MSP as their crop will not get covered even under relaxed specifications. The farmers — whose produce does not meet even the relaxed quality parameters, and have to, therefore, sell it in the open market till July 31, 2022 — will be paid up to maximum Rs 1,000 difference per quintal. The initiative will also be applicable to farmers who have already sold their produce below MSP in open market.
SPECIAL REMISSION FOR LIFE CONVICTS TO COMMEMORATE GURU TEG BAHADUR’s 400TH PARKASH PURB AND AZADI KA MAHOTSAV
The Cabinet also gave approval for sending the case of special remission to convicts or life convicts confined in jails of Punjab, to commemorate 400th parkash purab of Guru Teg Bahadur. Similarly, the Cabinet also gave green signal for sending the case for seeking special remission and release of the convicts confined in the jails of the State on August 15, 2022, to commemorate the 75th Independence Day of India being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. After the nod of Cabinet under Article 163 of the Constitution of India, these special remission cases will be submitted to Punjab Governor under Article 161 of the Indian constitution.