Rice millers may move court

Gagandeep Singh

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 21

Regretting the decision of the Central Government that it would not bear the transportation cost of paddy brought from the grain market to the rice mills, the owners of the mills have been planning a protest against it.

The directions in this regard were issued by the Department of Food and Public Distribution in the first week of November.

Speaking to Jalandhar Tribune, Rakesh Jain, president, Rice Millers Welfare Association, Punjab, said the millers in the state have been getting Rs 15 per quintal for transportation of paddy from the grain market to the rice mill for the last 20 years.

Rice millers in the state have asking for a hike as prices have been going up. Instead of fulfilling their demand, the government has decided not to bear the cost of transportation, Jain pointed out.

He said the rice millers have not received any official notification yet. However, they have been intimated verbally about it. “We will take up the matter with the court once we receive an official notification, since it would be difficult for the rice millers to pay the amount,” Rakesh Jain added.

He said procurement of paddy started in October this year, whereas the rice millers in the state were made aware of it in the first week of November when 90 per cent paddy had already been transported. “If the government had said the same thing in September, the rice millers would have refused to provide their services,” he added.

Jain said the issue has been discussed with the ministry concerned in Punjab so that the matter can be taken up with the Centre. Yet nothing constructive has come up. “It seems the Central Government is trying to let down the rice millers,” he added.