Chandigarh: The Punjab Rice Millers Association ended its strike following a meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday.
According to an official government statement, the state accepted all of the millers’ demands within its jurisdiction and promised to address their concerns with the central government.
Tarsem Saini, president of the association, confirmed that the millers decided to call off the strike after receiving assurances from CM Mann.
Saini stated that Mann assured them he would take up their issues with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and ensure that the milling process is completed by March 31, 2025. The rice millers agreed to sign contracts for the current fiscal year, with no responsibility for quality or quantity beyond that period.
“Mann also promised to address the early lifting of rice from Punjab with the Union government,” he said.
During the meeting, Mann noted that the state government had already raised concerns with the central government about storage shortages. In response, the Union government committed to freeing up 40 lakh tonnes of storage space by December 2024, with an additional 90 lakh tonnes by March 2025.
He added that the FCI submitted a plan to move 15 lakh tonnes of wheat and paddy from Punjab, part of the Union’s written assurance. Punjab currently has a storage capacity of 212 lakh tonnes, of which 80% is occupied by wheat, paddy, and rice from previous seasons.
With an expected paddy yield of 185 lakh tonnes this season, the shelled output is estimated at around 120 lakh tonnes.
Mann also said that 48 lakh tonnes of wheat are stored in state-owned or leased godowns, with plans to move it by March 2025 to free up storage for the upcoming paddy crop.
A three-member team, led by a deputy commissioner and including FCI and state agency representatives, will oversee grain movement.
On another front, Mann addressed the requirement for millers with over 5,000 tonnes of paddy storage to provide a bank guarantee. He announced that instead of a bank guarantee, a lien on the mill’s land would be accepted.
Moreover, the CM agreed to return 10% of the Custom Milled Rice (CMR) securities that had been pending for a long time. In a significant concession, Mann approved a reduction in the CMR rate to ₹10 per tonne and agreed to waive physical verification for existing mills.
He also committed to raising other concerns with the Union government, including the restoration of driage allowance to 1% of the minimum support price, reimbursement for transportation of rice delivered outside milling centers, and the removal of backward movement charges.
To ensure efficient paddy harvesting, the CM directed that harvesting should not occur between 6 pm and 10 am. He also instructed the Mandi Board to procure moisture meters similar to those used by the FCI, ensuring that paddy with 17% moisture content is accepted during procurement.
