Chhattisgarh CM Baghel urges Centre to increase rice procurement limit to 40 lakh metric tons

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has written a letter to Union Minister Piyush Goyal urging him to increase the rice procurement limit from 24 lakh metric tons to 40 lakh metric tons for the Kharif marketing year 2020-21 under the central pool.

In a letter dated January 29, Baghel stated that in the Kharif marketing season in the state, the paddy was procured at the minimum support price from the farmers as per the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Central government's food department, under the decentralised procurement scheme for the procurement of paddy.

"In the state in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21, as on 28 January 2021, under the decentralized procurement scheme, 90 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured from 20.29 lakh farmers on the support price and paddy purchase will be done by 31 January 2021," the Chief Minister wrote.

Stressing that paddy cultivation is the main source of livelihood for the people of the state he said that in the Naxal-affected areas, registration of farmers, who are holding forest rights certificates, was also done and their paddy produce is being procured, which is helping in eliminating the Maoist menace.

"There is a directive to supply rice stock to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in addition to the requirement of Public Distribution System (PDS) of the state out of the paddy acquired under clause 18 of the paddy, so the proportion of all surplus paddy remaining in addition to the state requirement by the Government of India under the said provisions. There is a request to take 40 lakh metric tonnes under the Central Pool in Food Corporation of India," he said.

He added that if the additional 40 lakh metric tonnes is not given by the central government then an economic loss of an amount of about Rs 2,500 crores is likely, which the state government will have to bear, making the situation "very worrying".

The State Government has "not announced any kind of bonus payment in addition to the minimum support price (MSP) directly and indirectly" in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21.

(ANI)