Telangana Govt crackdown on rice millers yields results
Hyderabad: In response to the Civil Supplies Commission’s stringent measures against millers who defaulted on delivering Custom Milling Rice (CMR) and the set deadline approaching this month, the department has experienced an unprecedented surge in deliveries.
Over the past 50 days, millers have accelerated their delivery, with department officials noting a remarkable six-fold increase. The daily average of 5,000 – 6,000 metric tonnes has surged to an impressive 30,000 per day during this period. A noteworthy milestone was reached when the department recorded a delivery of over 56,000 metric tonnes in a single day.
Officials revealed that the CMR in question pertains to the 2022-23 Yasangi season, and millers were initially required to deliver 43.73 lakh metric tonnes. However, by November 2023, only 24.50 lakh metric tonnes had been received. In the past 50 days alone, 14.50 lakh metric tonnes were delivered, attributed to changes in the government. The department has grappled with mounting debts over the past three years due to delays, exacerbated by millers missing the set supply deadlines.
In response to the challenges, a series of review meetings with Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and the appointment of D S Chouhan prompted the department to intensify its efforts against defaulting millers. Officials noted that, until two months ago, the department received an average of 5,000 to 6,000 metric tonnes per day. However, in the past 50 days, the daily delivery average has skyrocketed to 30,000 metric tonnes.
On January 27, Civil Supplies achieved a historic milestone, receiving an impressive 58,843 metric tonnes of CMR. The department has identified districts with the highest defaults, including Wanaparthy (82,000), Nagarkurnool (42,000), Medak (40,000), Kamareddy (37,000), Nirmal (35,000), among others. The Commissioner issued a warning that defaulting millers will be liable to pay penalties.
Expressing satisfaction, the Commissioner credited the success to the government’s strategic approach, commending the coordinated efforts of all department officials for making history in resolving the CMR delivery matter.
