HYDERABAD: The Union government has refused to extend the deadline for submitting custom-milled rice (CMR) for the Kharif marketing season (KMS) 2021-22. This could cost the State government approximately Rs 840 crore as 2.16 lakh metric tonnes of rice is still with the millers. The State government has already compensated the farmers for the paddy acquired during procurement.
The State Civil Supplies department asked for an extension in the milling period, but the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Jai Prakash, declined the request. In its response, the Union government stated that enough extensions had already been given and the State government’s request for more could not be granted.
Although the Centre had previously extended the deadline, rice millers did not meet it. As a result, the State government may face a financial burden of over Rs 840 crore since they have already compensated the farmers.
Civil Supplies Commissioner V Anil Kumar disagreed that the pending CMR is a burden, saying they can use it to provide subsidised rice to public distribution system (PDS) beneficiaries. He said the Telangana government will take action against defaulting rice millers according to established procedures and impose a 25 per cent penalty while collecting the CMR from them.