DHARAMSALA, Oct 12 — While categorically stating that his ministry could not give any further relaxation, the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr Shanta Kumar, today announced that damaged paddy upto a maximum limit of 7 per cent instead of 3 per cent, would be procured, with immediate effect at Rs 515 and Rs 485 per quintal.

After a last-minute cancellation of the visit of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to Palampur, Mr Shanta Kumar held a series of talks with the Central committee, before making further relaxations. The committee deputed by the ministry, after visiting the various mandis of Punjab, submitted its report to Mr Shanta Kumar, on the basis of which relaxation in the specification for the procurement of paddy was made.

Talking to mediapersons at Palampur today Mr Shanta Kumar said the decision had been made keeping in view the distress sale by paddy growers in Punjab and their subsequent exploitation. “We have tried our level best to come to the rescue of the farmers but at the same time we have not compromised on the quality of paddy,” he claimed. He announced that while 3 per cent damaged fair average quality (FAQ) paddy of grade-A, would be procured at Rs 540 per quintal, the government would give Rs 510 for the common grade.

He announced that the damaged, discoloured, sprouted and weeviled grains up to a maximum of 7 per cent would now be acceptable at Rs 515 per quintal for grade-A and Rs 485 per quintal for common grade. He claimed that with the new package announced today, 70 per cent of the paddy lying in the various grain markets would be procured. He said almost 40 lakh tonnes of the total 55 lakh tonnes of paddy, brought to the mandis had already been procured.

Mr Shanta Kumar assured that even after making further relaxation, no compromise on quality had been made as the outturn ratio would merely go down from 67 kg to 64 kg. He said the farmers in Punjab should be satisfied as against Rs 280 to Rs 315 being given to them by millers the government was paying Rs 540 and Rs 510 per quintal.

When asked if Mr Badal was satisfied with the latest package announced for paddy growers and conveyed to him over telephone, Mr Shanta Kumar said that the Punjab Chief Minister definitely wanted much more relaxation, which was not possible for his ministry. “In case further relaxations are to be made then the matter will have to be decided by the Cabinet, as even the Finance Ministry is not willing to make further concessions,” stated Mr@Shanta Kumar. It is learnt that Mr Shanta Kumar also spoke to the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, last night, at Hazaribagh. In case further relaxations were made, the Central Government will have to bear an additional burden of about Rs 250 crore.

The Union Minister said that with today’s announcement, no additional burden would be put on the ministry. He added that the specification of rice shall remain unchanged and rice of uniform specification (FAQ) only would be accepted by the Food Corporation of India in the interests of the rice consumers.

Mr Shanta Kumar said that as per the report submitted by the Central team, which visited Punjab, the major reason for the damage to the paddy crop was the early harvesting done by the farmers. “The Vice-Chancellors of four agriculture universities have written to us that in order to avoid early harvesting, before the paddy is ripe, procurement should not be done before October 1,” he stated. He added that in the districts where harvesting was done early, the paddy was found to be much more damaged.