Chandigarh September 16:-The Punjab Government has issued instructions that all those rice mills that have not paid the bonus to the farmers in Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2007-08 as announced by the Government of India for the paddy purchased by them in their own account would not be considered for allotment in 2008-09 KMS.
According to an official spokesman the state government has taken a strict notice of failure of some rice mills in payment of bonus to the farmers and issued instructions in this regard. The spokesman said that the millers from whom any bonus amount is due, deposits the same with the respective District Manager, Pungrain could be considered eligible for allotment
Elaborating the allotment policy and conditions for provisional registration, the spokesman said that if a rice mill has to deliver custom milled rice of any agency pertaining to the previous years including 2007-08 would not be considered for allotment. Similarly the rice mills that have not delivered 75% levy rice in the KMS 2007-08 would also be debarred from fresh allotment. However, the Export Oriented Units (EOU) would be exempt. This benefit would be limited to the millers who have exported the rice directly. No benefit would be given to the millers who have exported the rice indirectly or through ‘H’ form.
He added that if the owner/partner/director of a lessee/owner rice mill becomes defaulter and is a owner/partner/director of a new/lessee/owner rice mill, the mill in question will not be considered for allotment. Similarly if the miller had failed to mill paddy after due notice and the agency had to shift paddy at the cost of the miller during the previous years such mills would be treated as defaulters.
He further said that if any agency reports any case of mis-appropriation of paddy by a miller of the previous years including kharif 2007-08 marketing season the rice mills would be debarred.
The spokesman said that all those mills would be debarred if a police/court case/arbitration case is pending against the miller on account of embezzlement relating to custom milling or levy rice pertaining to any crop year. He said that premises of a defaulter miller will be treated as defaulter and no such mill even if leased out to any third party by the defaulter owner/previous lessee will be eligible for allotment during KMS 2008-09.
Such defaulter rice mills which have been auctioned by a financial institution/commercial bank would be considered for allotment during KMS 2008-09 only after they clear the previous dues of the concerned agency.
He said that the millers with whom FCI has banned its business dealings on account of delivery of rice "Beyond Rejection Limit" (BRL) during the previous years would not be considered.
The Spokesman said that each defaulter rice miller shall offer levy rice to the State Government as per the provisions of the Levy Control Order 1983. However, the State Government reserves its right to accept or not to accept levy rice from a defaulter miller. In such case prior approval of the State Government will be mandatory. No miller shall mill paddy of the agency other than the one allotted to him. In case he does so, he will be black listed and the paddy stocks will be lifted from his premises at his risk and cost.
No paddy would be stored in those rice mills where there is no operative electricity connection ready by 01-10-2008 even if allotted on the basis of the demand notice issued by the Punjab State Electricity Board. A rice mill running on a generator set or diesel engine shall not be considered for allotment.
