Paddy purchase updates as on 20th Jan 2013 -

Now, 71 Paddy purchase centres are functioning in Burdwan district in addition to paddy purchase by 350 plus rice mills. As per information received total paddy purchased so far is 1.5 lakhs MT.

• CMR and Levy rice received is 35000 MT in go downs of FCI and State, further 21000 MT enforcement vertificates issued to Rice Mills and CMR agencies for the ready rice which is to be delivered by 31st January 2013. So, 56000 MT rice is procured in the current year aginst paddy purchased so far.

• Vigilance teams from district intensively visiting rice mills to enforce purchase from farmers at Rs 1250 per Quintal paddy and making payment through account payee cheques.
• Action initiated against few rice mills violating norms like false muster rolls with non existent farmers and payments not made to farmers as per norms. Block teams will now intensify vigil on rice mils.
• All rice mills told not to refuse paddy offered by farmers. However, details of farmers like name, address, land area cultivated for paddy, bank account/ cheque number of payment, signature etc must be recorded in the Muster Rolls to be maintained by all Rice Mills and Paddy Purchase Centres.
• Muster rolls of rice mills and PPCs to be verified physically at door steps to ensure that paddy purchase is done properly.
• This year, fixd location PPCs in large number is found to be very helpful and acceptable to farmers. Govt purchase officers/ agencies are making payments against delivered paddy on the spot after verifications.
• Paddy purchased is converted to rice and endeavour is taken to make payments of bills of rice mills/ CMR agencies immediately on delivery of rice to FCI/ State go downs.
• It is clearly directed that all Levy rice (Rice oout of Paddy purchased by rice mills directly) to be delivered to FCI go downs in order to move rice outside Burdwan district/ State for price stabilisation. CMR rice (against paddy purchased at PPCs/ Govt agencies) to be delivered to State as well as FCI go downs as per space management.
• Weekly review meetings are being held.