Paddy procurement: TG govt employs 3-tier redressal mechanism to rein in middlemen

Hyderabad: With Telangana boasting a record paddy production crossing 1.5 crore tonnes this Kharif season and the state government’s increased focus on maximum procurement of super fine (sannarakam) paddy, the Civil Supplies department in coordination with other departments has set up redressal mechanism at different levels for smooth completion of the procurement process.

The three-tier redressal mechanism focuses on resolving any dispute arising on the variety of paddy sent to mills. Even as the State government is offering Rs 500 per quintal as bonus on superfine variety, this year authorities have ensured that millers shun the practice of unauthorised cut at the time of procurement. A total of 7,532 paddy procurement centres have been set up by the government. The department is targeting purchase of 70 LMTs (lakh metric tonnes) this Kharif, including 35 LMTs of Sannarakam to ensure government requirements are met including supply through PDS (Public Distribution System).

According to officials, as part of this mechanism AEO (Agriculture Extension Officers) have been tagged to rice mills to resolve any dispute arising on the variety of paddy sent to mills. If not resolved at AEO, the issue can be escalated to the District Redressal committee. Beginning from the Revenue Divisional Level committee with Assistant Director of Agriculture and Deputy Tahsildar (Civil Supplies), if the issue is not resolved then the top committee, the District Level Committee with District Agriculture Officer and District Civil Supplies Officer will work towards resolution. “This time, to avoid issues at paddy procurement centres, we have set up separate centres for sanna variety and also samples were kept for better understanding of farmers.

This government does not want any unauthorised cut. We are following these norms very strictly, so that no middleman exploits the farmer,” informed a higher official.

Another reformative step undertaken by the government is setting up of ‘Intermediary Godowns’. Besides implementation of mandatory Security Deposit / Bank Guarantee in selection of rice millers, the storage of 'significant quantities' of paddy in Intermediary Godowns and release to millers based on performance is being cited as a revolutionary step. “Those who failed to pay bank guarantee are coming forward after the government has decided to set up intermediary godowns and started shifting the paddy. This is breaking the monopoly system of the rice mills. So we are not forcing any miller to undertake Custom Milling Rice and ensuring those who follow the existing norms are given a priority,” added the official.