Preneet discusses paddy stock with Food Minister
Sunday, 15/04/2012
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120415/punjab.htm#13
Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur today met Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prof KV Thomas regarding pending stock of PAU-201 paddy variety with rice millers in Punjab.
Thomas assured her that the issue would be sympathetically examined and suitable action would be taken in consultation with the Punjab Government.
MP Singh, additional personal secretary to Preneet Kaur, said that around 88 rice millers from Patiala and Bathinda districts who were asked by the state government's procurement agencies to accept stock of PAU-201 paddy (2009-2010) for milling with an assurance that they would not be forced to stick to the prescribed quality norms while milling the paddy of the said variety.
The PAU-201 variety has higher broken grain content and reddish shade due to which the FCI has not been accepting it resulting into losses to rice millers.
Rice millers had met Preneet Kaur and told her that they were being penalised without fault.
A committee under the chairmanship of Additional Secretary and Financial Advisor, Department of Food and Public Distribution, had in the past recommended the disposal of such rice in the domestic market.
