File FIR against millers if they try to exploit you: Min Pradeep Bal Samanta to farmers

Samanta warns millers and mandi staff of stern action if found indulging in katni-chhatni
Odisha Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta
Odisha Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal SamantaPhoto | MyNeta
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BHUBANESWAR: Taking strong exception to the persisting practice of ‘katni- chhatni’ (deduction of a certain quantity of grains) at the mandis despite efforts of the state government to streamline the paddy procurement process, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta on Sunday called upon the farmers to file FIRs against the rice millers and mandi staff, if they are subjected to such demands.

The move comes in the wake of reports from coastal districts that farmers are having to wait for a long time to dispose of their paddy at MSP in the procurement centres due to the non-lifting of their produce by rice millers, who are demanding a cut of four to five kg per quintal.

Samanta said the millers have no role at the paddy purchase centres (PPCs) other than the transportation of the grains from the mandis which are tagged to them by the Food Supplies department.

“If they have any objection to the quality of grains, they should take up the issue with the mandi staff. They cannot dictate terms to the farmers that they will not lift the stock unless they get a certain quantity of paddy on every quintal allegedly for not conforming to the fair average quality (FAQ) norms,” Samanta told mediapersons here.

He said that grain analyser machines are being used to check the quality of the paddy. The machine helps in identifying organic, inorganic, foreign material, damage, discoloured, and immature paddy during the procurement. The mandi staff procure paddy from farmers only after verification of FAQ standard of the grains.

“I request the farmers to first report the matter to the field staff of the Cooperation and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare departments who are monitoring paddy procurement. If they do not get any cooperation from the field staff, they are advised to register their complaints with the local police stations. They are free to forward their complaints to the government naming the officials who are hand in glove with the millers,” the minister said, warning of strict action against them.

He further said under no circumstances, the government will allow farmers to be exploited by the millers as was the practice earlier. Government will take stern action against government officials for dereliction of duty and harassment of farmers.

Several farmers of a service cooperative society in Niali block under Cuttack district told this paper that their paddy had qualified the grain analyser test but the rice miller refused to lift their stock as they did not meet the demand of four to five kg of paddy on every quintal.

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