Shaurya Sharma
Fatehgarh Sahib. June.19, 2019: Punjab Rice Miller Association has demanded immediate release of the milling charges as per the custom milling agreement made by millers with Govt. procurement agencies for the crop year 2018-19. Besides this the securities deposited by 3700 Rice Millers of Rs.5 Lakh each is also pending with the Director, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Punjab.
While talking to media persons Nakesh Jindal, Press Secretary of the Association said that most of the Rice Millers have delivered the Rice to FCI as per the custom milling policy and one of the procurement agencies has started making paying, whereas most of the agencies are not making payments inspite of having submitted an affidavit that if any recovery arises later on' they will be liable to pay'. He demanded that Govt. should direct the agencies to make payments to the rice millers as per ' Custom Milling Contract’, without any delay.
He also demanded immediate release of their security worth crores of rupees deposited by each rice millers with the Director, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Punjab. He said that as per terms and conditions of the Custom Milling policy every rice miller was supposed to deposit Rs.five lacks as levy security for crop year 2018-19, which was supposed to be released as soon as the milling process got completed. He said the millers had completed the milling job as per terms and conditions of the Custom Milling policy, but the Govt. has not refunded the security of Rs. five lacs each so far inspite of the repeated requests. He said the millers are suffering great financial loss. He urged the CM to intervene and to direct the department to immediately release the security.