Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government is ready to extend the time limit of paddy procurement, a government statement said on Thursday.
The government has expressed its concern over the matter after a ministerial sub-committee comprising Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Amarjeet Bhagat, Forest Minister Mohammed Akbar, Cooperative minister Dr Prem Sai Tekam, Urban Administration Minister Shiv Kumar Dahariya and Higher Education Minister Umesh Patel met and discussed the current scenario with representatives of farmers at Mantralaya Bhavan in Naya Raipur on Thursday.
“About 11.50 lakh registered farmers have already sold 50 lakh ton paddy to the state government under the paddy procurement programme,” Choubey said.
As of now, the Centre has not issued permission for depositing rice in FCI’s godowns, due to which custom milling has halted. If the situation persists then paddy procurement will be affected, Choubey told the farmers, the official communique said.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had talked with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over phone regarding depositing rice in FCI godown, Choubey added.
The Centre had provided in-principle approval for purchasing 60 lakh metric ton rice from Chhattisgarh but it had not granted permission for depositing the rice in FCI’s godowns, the Agriculture Minister said.
Due to non-deposition of rice the jute sacks are not recycled leading to shortage of empty jute sacks, Choubey added.
However, farmers attending the meeting said they met the Governor and requested MPs from their regions to ask the Centre to resolve the matter.
