HYDERABAD: With huge stocks of Kharif and Rabi paddy lying with millers due to insufficient milling capacity, the State government on Thursday constituted a committee to suggest measures to increase milling capacity and also auction the surplus paddy.
The committee will be headed by the Special Chief Secretary of Finance and will have Special Chief Secretary (Industries), Secretary to CM, Managing Director of TSIIC and the Commissioner of Civil Supplies as members.
The terms of reference of the panel are to enhance the milling capacity of the existing rice mills; to identify the areas of deficit milling capacity with regard to the quantity of the paddy procurement and required capacity; to identify lands for setting up of Food Processing Zones.
The committee will also give suggestions on framing a suitable industrial incentive policy to attract investors and suggest the right technology on a turnkey basis to quickly set up the units and make them operational within one year. It will also identify potential investors and motivate them to set up units by clearing their apprehensions.
1.1 crore tonnes of grains stay unused in mills
The State government is expecting paddy production to increase to four crore tonnes from the three crore tonnes at present, once the construction of ongoing irrigation projects like Palamuru-Rangareddy is completed. At present, 1.10 crore tonnes of paddy is lying at the mills