Defaulted millers to get blacklisted, who won’t get fresh grains
Hyderabad:Civil supplies minister Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday directed officials to blacklist defaulting rice millers to ensure that they do not get fresh consignments of paddy. Millers who adhere to norms must get support and would get incentives and technical support towards exporting rice.
"There will be no harassment for those who follow regulations, but strict action will be taken against wrong practices, regardless of political pressure," Uttam Kumar Reddy said, after launching a booklet on guidelines for legal enforcement in civil supplies cases.
He also reviewed the progress of Kharif paddy procurement and finalised the action plan for the upcoming Rabi season.
Speaking to the media later, Uttam Kumar Reddy reiterated said that the government recognised the milling industry as a major economic driver. The government was devising a comprehensive export promotion framework to sustain this momentum and strengthen Telangana's role in the global rice trade.
In a bid to capitalise on excess production, the minister said that a that policy would be formulated to promote export-oriented rice mills. "We're drafting a new policy for encouraging mills that export rice outside the state and country. Well-performing mills will receive government backing to tap new markets, ensuring our surplus benefits the global economy,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
Explaining the procurement programme’s scale and reach, he highlighted that the civil supplies department annually distributes `38,000 crore directly to farmers. Focussing on the transformation of the state's rice distribution system, he explained that 85 per cent of Telangana's population, approximately 3.17 crore, now receives 6 kg of fine-quality rice every month at an annual expenditure of `13,650 crore. "We've shifted from coarse grains to superior fine rice, all sourced from Telangana-grown paddy," he said.
The minister outlined plans to modernise storage infrastructure amid growing procurement needs. Current combined central and state storage capacity stands at 29 lakh metric tonnes, managed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state warehousing corporations. He pointed out significant gaps in quality, leading to substantial government losses. "We're planning upgrades through central government assistance and private partnerships," he revealed, with a strong push for stainless steel silo systems.
