The rice millers of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday threatened to shut their mills across the state indefinitely from April 1 to protest against the government policy towards them.
Blaming the existing policy of the government, the millers said they are not able to undertake custom milling. Millers' association chairman Yogesh Agrawal said they are also upset because the government is not keeping up its promises.
“Initially the authorities had said the paddy procured by the government would be milled in two months. later it had said that the millers can sell its rice in the open market which was later changed,'”
Agrawal said.
Now the Government wants the millers to mill the paddy up to six months. Besides, the government has been putting pressure on the millers to lift the paddy of the last year which were already damaged or rotted and remained unsuitable for even the animals, he added.
He stated there has been no increase in the cost of milling in the last two years whereas the wages and other costs are already on the rise.
The Government also has been changing policy related to milling without consulting the millers' association. Agrawal also said the millers have not yet received the payment for the milling they had done
last year.
Similarly, the transportation cost has also not yet been cleared. Citing the rains the state had this year, he said large quantities of paddy were wetted by the rain and the government has been putting pressure on the millers to compensate the loss thus incurred.
He also said the Food Corporation of India officials have also been not cooperating with the millers. Although the association has brought this matter to the notice of the authorities, the state government has yet to intervene.
Agrawal said at least 80 lakh tonnes of paddy are yet to be milled and agreements have already been signed for 63 lakh tones.
He said although the millers have already written a letter in this regard to the chief minister, the government has yet to take any concrete steps.
“If the government does not take any step by March 31, the millers would be forced to shut their mills indefinitely with effect from April 1,” he added.