Punjab News: The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Tuesday approved the Punjab Custom Milling Policy for the Kharif marketing season 2024-25. The policy facilitates the conversion of paddy, procured by state agencies, into custom-milled rice and its delivery to the central pool.
Amendments to Support Rice Millers
Speaking to the media after the cabinet meeting, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora highlighted that key amendments were made to accommodate the demands of rice shellers. Notably, the annual refundable security has been reduced from Rs 11 lakh to Rs 5 lakh, and the requirement for a bank guarantee against stock value has been replaced with a property lien.
“These changes reflect proposals approved by the Chief Minister during his meeting with the rice shellers last week. It will help rice millers recover from past losses due to incorrect policies from the Centre,” said Arora.
Procurement Timeline and Storage
The Punjab government aims to complete the paddy procurement exercise by November 30, 2024. Paddy procured will be stored in eligible rice mills across the state. The Department of Food and Civil Supplies issues the custom milling policy each year before the Kharif marketing season to ensure proper milling of paddy as per Central government specifications.
This policy adjustment is expected to ease the financial burden on rice millers, encouraging smoother operations during the milling process.
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