Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Smt. Nimuben Jayantibhai Bambhaniya, in a written reply today in the Lok Sabha, stated that in Punjab, paddy is mainly procured by state government agencies, and Custom Milled Rice (CMR) is delivered to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The paddy is procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP) as per uniform specifications laid down by Government of India to ensure the remunerative price to farmers for their produce. However, in case of any natural calamities, relaxations in the uniform specifications of affected food grains are also provided for smooth procurement so as to prevent distress sale/rejection of food grains.
There is robust system of procurement and acceptance of milled rice by FCI with multi layered quality check system. In case lots are found Beyond Rejection Limit or not meeting the prescribed uniform specifications, the same shall be replaced by Fair Average Quality (FAQ) stock by the concerned Millers.
Further, during KMS 2024-25, around 172 LMT of paddy has been procured from farmers in Punjab. Out of this, 169 LMT has already been lifted from the Mandis of Punjab and stored at the mill points for further milling of the stocks of paddy. FCI has already started acceptance of Rice from the millers as per Govt. of India (GOI) specifications and 94,000 MT has already been accepted by FCI.
All out efforts are made at every level to ensure the quality of stocks. The government is committed to procure all quantity of paddy offered for sale in Punjab as per the quality specification laid down by the Government and to ensure that the benefit of MSP regime is smoothly realized by all the farmers.
No incidents have been reported regarding rice being smuggled into Punjab from other states. No issue regarding undue rejection of rice on ground of quality has been reported.
(Source: PIB)
