Chhattisgarh NEWS : A meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee was held at Mahanadi Bhawan, Mantralaya, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar under the chairmanship of Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel. The meeting was attended by Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Cooperation Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Finance Minister Shri O. P. Chaudhary, Health Minister Shri Shyam Bihari Jaiswal and Revenue Minister Shri Tankaram Verma.
The meeting was informed that in the Kharif Marketing Year 2024-25, 149.25 LMT paddy has been procured from the farmers at the support price, which is the highest ever since the formation of the State. Accumulated paddy is being disposed of quickly through custom milling. In addition to the target of rice procurement from Government of India and Civil Supplies Corporation, a decision has been taken by the Council of Ministers to sell about 35.00 LMT of surplus paddy through e-auction. For this, the process of auction was edited on the M-junction platform. The rates received in the first round of tendering were approved by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on 29th April 2025. About 18.91 LMT paddy has been successfully resolved at the above rates. In order to resolve the remaining stakes, the highest bidders (H-1) and other bidders have been provided with an opportunity for price matching at the approved rate so that the government can resolve the surplus paddy without delay while ensuring transparency and healthy competition.
It was informed in the meeting that a total of 31.48 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been stored in 78 collection centres of the state, out of which about 18.91 lakh metric tonnes has been resolved through price matching and auction. At present, about 12.57 LMT paddy is remaining to be lifted. Necessary instructions have been circulated to all district marketing officers and collection centre in-charges to ensure speedy lifting. Instructions have also been given to facilitate the movement of vehicles to the collection centres and increase the number of hawkers so that the lifting of paddy is faster and there is no inconvenience to the buyers.
It was informed in the meeting that bidders have the option to do price matching on depositing the deposit amount after registration on the M-junction platform. The bidders are required to deposit 3% of the total value of paddy procured as security fund within 7 days from the date of price matching. Thereafter, within the stipulated period, the buyer has to deposit the actual price of the stake in the e-auction platform. The lift order is being issued to the buyer as soon as the amount is received by the marketing association. In the meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee held today, important decisions were taken regarding the speedy disposal of paddy. It was decided in the meeting that the bidders who could not deposit the security fund in the stipulated time frame during price matching in the e-auction platform, or did not deposit the paddy procurement price (MVP) within the time limit or submitted late, have now been given a final deadline till 15th July 2025. The period for deposit of balance quantity of rice for Kharif Marketing Year 2023-24 has been extended to 05.07.2025. The rice millers of the state have shown enthusiasm towards these decisions taken by the government. Chhattisgarh Rice Millers Association has also submitted a memorandum of thanks to Food Minister Shri Dayaldas Baghel in this regard.
A Technical Committee under the Chairmanship of General Manager (Marketing) has also been constituted to resolve the technical problems being faced by the millers and buyers during price matching and to provide necessary guidance so as to ensure early resolution of the problems.
It was informed in the meeting that in this sequence, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai called on the Union Food Minister and requested him to increase the target of storing rice in the central pool from the paddy procured from the farmers at the support price to more than 70 lakh metric tonnes in the Kharif Marketing Year 2024-25. This has been assured of positive consideration by the Government of India in the interest of the State of Chhattisgarh.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Food Smt. Reena Babasaheb Kangale, Secretary Finance Shri Mukesh Bansal, Secretary Industries Shri Rajat Kumar, Director Food, Managing Director Markfed and other officials.