The Centre has agreed to extend the deadline for Telangana to mill and deliver the custom milled rice (CMR) from the 2020-21 Rabi season. The deadline, which ends this month end, has been extended to March 31.
The State government procures paddy from the farmers and get it milled and deliver the same to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
“The Telangana government has asked for the extension of the deadline. We agreed to it. The milling and delivery of the commodity should happen as per the specifications prescribed for the year,” the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has said.
In a letter to the Civil Supplies Department of Telangana, which is responsible for the procurement and delivery of rice to the Central pool, the Ministry asserted that there would not be any more extension of the deadline.
The Ministry wanted the State government to ensure keep tabs against recycling of rice (rechanneling of rice to the Central pool from the stocks delivered for public distribution system).
‘Age test’
It directed the FCI to conduct ‘age test’ for rice at the time of delivery of the commodity.
The State had procured a record 92 lakh tonnes of paddy. On conversion, it garnered 62 lakh tonnes of rice. Of this, the Centre agreed to purchase about 46 lakh tonnes of (parboiled) rice.