Uttam promises rice millers help over pending dues

Hyderabad: Rice millers on Wednesday told the cabinet sub-committee, headed by deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, that inflation has resulted in their production costs increasing to 300 per quintal. They also expressed that the rice mills industry is feeling the burden of the 1% levy imposed by the govt.The millers claimed they were facing severe financial strain due to delayed payments from the govt, with dues pending since the 2016-17 procurement operations. This has caused cash flow disruptions, hampering their ability to manage daily operations. The imposition of penalties for non-compliance with fair average quality (FAQ) standards has compounded the financial pressures on millers.The rice millers also explained the reduced availability of paddy, with the paddy milling percentage having dropped to 14% this year. Large mills have witnessed 55% to 60% decline in their operations due to reduced paddy procurement in the last few years.The millers and the cabinet sub-committee decided to work in coordination to achieve 100% paddy milling by 2025, ensuring timely procurement and implementing fair pricing mechanism. The millers also called for the clearance of pending dues and reduced levies to alleviate the sector's financial burden.Civil supplies minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy assured them that if the millers were honest in their dealings, the govt would be fair and just in its approach. He also assured millers that their concerns would be addressed and that the govt was serious about resolving their issues. He highlighted the potential for the rice milling industry to grow in Telangana, especially in rural areas. He promised the govt's support in helping millers obtain pending dues from the Centre.However, he warned that the state govt would not tolerate any diversion of PDS rice. He noted that while the govt views millers as partners in progress, it would ensure no damage to Telangana's exchequer through any malpractice.Bhatti assured the millers that their issues would be discussed with chief minister A Revanth Reddy and that the cabinet sub-committee would submit a report with recommendations to the CM for final approval.
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