Haryana: Rice Millers Angry Over Distant Godown Linking Decision by FCI

New Delhi: In a recent development, rice millers engaged in the Custom-Milling of Rice (CMR) have voiced their discontent over the Food Corporation of India (FCI) decision to link their mills with distant godowns instead of those in close proximity. According to a report published in The Tribune, the millers claim that this decision has significantly raised their transportation costs, leading to challenges in meeting the stipulated delivery schedules for CMR.

Sourabh Gupta, the district president of the Rice Millers and Dealers Association in Haryana, told The Tribune, "We are facing a lot of problems as the FCI has linked our mills with the distant godowns through the Wings App. We have to bear the extra cost of transportation. We also have to wait for months to get our payments, as the FCI takes a long time to verify the rice."

According to the policy, millers are required to deliver 25% of rice by the end of December and an additional 20%  by the end of January. The current linking arrangement, however, has forced millers to transport rice to godowns located at distant places, causing inconvenience and financial strain.Gupta emphasised the demand for a reconsideration of the linking strategy: "We are demanding that the FCI link our mills to the nearby godowns, where there is enough space available and accept the rice without any delay."

The millers argue that the current situation is hindering their ability to process the allotted paddy. Gupta highlighted the urgency of the matter, stating, "In such circumstances, they cannot process the paddy allotted to them. The procurement agencies are free to lift their paddy allotted to the millers if the linking is not rectified."

Responding to the concerns raised by the millers, Anil Kalra, the District Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC), told The Tribune, "The FCI did the linking of godowns as per the space and requirement of foodgrains in different areas. The issue of Karnal rice millers linking their mills with distant godowns has been brought to the notice of the FCI. We are hopeful that the issue will be addressed soon."

As the rice millers continue to grapple with the challenges posed by the current godown linking arrangement, all eyes are on the FCI to resolve the issue and ensure a smoother operation of the CMR process.