Taking a tough stance, Minister for Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Prathipati Pulla Rao has warned that the defaulting rice mill owners with regard to the procurement of custom milled rice (CMR) will be arrested if they do not clear the dues reaching nearly ₹103 crore within the next 15 days or one month.
He held a surprise check at the Sri Srinivasa Raw and Boiled Rice Mill on the Podalakuru – Sangam Road, about 30 km from Nellore city. He turned angry when the officials reported that the miller concerned did not turn up despite intimation.
Accompanied by AP Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director Ram Gopal and other officials, the Minister went round the mill premises, which was mostly empty and there was no sign of the CMR paddy being still stored.
“Under the CMR scheme, the government supplies paddy to the miller who has to supply rice in return. This miller has not made the return supply so far and he owed ₹8.5 crore for the past two years. This is a serious offence and we will initiate criminal proceedings,” said Mr. Pulla Rao.
Stating that considerable time was given to such defiant millers on humanitarian grounds and due to political pressures, Mr. Pulla Rao said that this kind of attitude would not be tolerated and the government would take stringent action to protect sanctity of the programmes like CMR intended for farmers’ welfare.
When the Minister enquired about the whereabouts and antecedents of the millers, the local residents of Podalakur said that the owner would not be available locally and that he had other businesses in Nellore surroundings.
Warning
Mr. Pulla Rao said that some millers were found to have become defiant and headstrong to the extent that they were ignoring warnings from the government regarding recoveries. “These millers happily sold out farmers’ rice and used that money to either buy property or make investments. This will not be tolerated,” he added.
About 23 millers owed ₹70 crore in CMR dues in Nellore district, the highest in the State. The overall dues in AP came to ₹103 crore.
