Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh): Collector Girish Mishra has imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of the five rice millers after it was found that they collected a huge quantity of paddy offline.
The rice millers, with whom the administration had entered into a contract for custom milling of rice, were given clear instructions that they would collect the paddy online.
Therefore by not doing so, they violated the instructions, sources said.
These rice millers were given contract for custom milling of paddy for 2023-24.
A team was set up to inquire the quality of rice and to do the physical verification of custom milled rice (CMR) in Balaghat district for 2023-24.
District manager from Dewas LK Joshi along with the team inspected 34 rice mills in the district.
In the storehouse of five millers, paddy was found offline.
According to orders issued by the state administration, taking of offline rice is not allowed.
The rice millers concerned were issued show-cause notices. In their reply, the rice millers said that because of certain technical problems, the rice could not be made online.
When the technical problems were solved, the rice was made online the next.
As the administration did not fine their reply satisfactory, the officials said the rice millers had violated the police for procurement of paddy for 2023-2024.
According to reports, the rice millers were given instructions for lifting rice online.
As the millers failed to give a proper reply for collecting paddy offline, Mishra imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on each of them.
