Agencies begin recovery for shortfall in paddy stock

Nitish Sharma
Tribune News Service
Ambala, February 17

A total of 185 rice mills in Ambala have been asked by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, Hafed and Warehousing Corporation to deposit around Rs 20 crore for paddy shortfall detected during physical verification of stock.

There are 193 rice mills in Ambala, with shortfall of 9,401 MT found in 185 rice mills during physical verification. The other eight mills had excess paddy.

Of these, 115 rice mills are under Hafed, 72 under the Food and Civil Supplies Department and six under the Warehousing Corporation.

A total of 136 rice mills had less than 1 per cent shortage, 34 had 1 per cent to 2 per cent shortage, eight had 2 per cent to 3 per cent shortage, four had 3 per cent to 4 per cent shortage and three had at least 4 per cent shortage. The rice mills had been allotted 9,09,000 MT paddy for custom milling.

“We get paddy with 17 per cent moisture content and it is brought down to 14 per cent to get rice which is delivered to the FCI while we get benefit of 1 per cent. Allowing at least 2 per cent driage shortage has been a long-pending demand. We will approach the High Court. The Deputy Chief Minister has been saying no recovery will be done from millers having less than 1 per cent shortage, but officials are asking us to deposit the amount for shortage,” said Raj Kumar Singla, Ambala Rice Miller Association president.

“Show-cause notices were issued and recovery started. A miller deposited a cheque for Rs 3.50 lakh today. Millers were asked to deposit the amounts by February 19. The government decided to give the benefit of 1 per cent driage upon full delivery to the FCI. Nearly 50 per cent of the stock was delivered by rice mills. Transportation cost was included earlier, but after fresh directions, notices to exclude it was served,” said Nishant Rathee, District Food and Supplies Controller.