Chhattisgarh CM writes to Centre, seeks procurement of rice by FCI

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 28 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday wrote to Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal and urged him to give permission as per the 'in-principle approval' for procurement of 26 lakh metric tonnes of usna (par-boiled) rice and 14 lakh metric tonnes of arwa rice by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21.
In a letter to the Union Minister, the Chief Minister said that the Centre has given 'in-principle approval' for depositing 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice in the central pool after the custom milling of paddy to be procured in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21, but due to lack of proper order from the Centre, the state could not deposit rice through FCI.
The state government has earlier submitted the proposal to the Centre for depositing 26 lakh metric tonnes of usna (par-boiled) rice and 14 lakh metric tonnes of arwa rice in FCI.
Baghel reminded the Union Minister that there has also been continuous discussion between the Centre and the officials of the Chhattisgarh government on this subject and he had even assured the Chief Minister to issue an order soon. He added that till date, proper permission has not been received from the Central in this regard.
He added in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21, the Centre has agreed to provide only 1.45 lakh new jute gunny bags to the state against the requirement of 3.50 lakh new jute gunny bags, but out of these, only 1.05 lakh bales of new jute gunny bags have been received by the state.
The Chief Minister said that due to lack of order to deposit custom milling rice in FCI there has also been a shortage of gunny bags received from miller after milling.
Due to which, despite adequate alternative efforts of the state government, the situation of procurement of paddy at the minimum support price is affected and the situation of procurement is not completed in time, he said. This will cause problems to the farmers of the state in selling paddy at the minimum support price, he added.
"Therefore, in the interest of the farmers of the state, it is requested that in accordance with the in principle approval received from the Centre in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21, soon permission should be given for procurement of 26 lakh metric tonnes of usna (par-boiled) rice and 14 lakh metric tonnes of arwa rice in FCI," he said. (ANI)