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Govt won’t roll back new grain procurement norms for paddy: Haryana minister
Rana, while speaking to the media, defended the mandi rules and said that the biometric system started this season ensured transparency in issuing gate passes of farmers only bringing crops to the purchase centre.
Even after protests by farmer unions and opposition parties against the new rules introduced during the recently concluded wheat procurement, Haryana agriculture and farmers welfare minister Shyam Singh Rana on Monday said that the change in issuing of gate passes and other rules will continue during the upcoming paddy purchase.
The minister was in Karnal to chair the meeting of the District Public Relations and Grievance Redressal Committee, where he heard nine complaints.
Rana, while speaking to the media, defended the mandi rules and said that the biometric system started this season ensured transparency in issuing gate passes of farmers only bringing crops to the purchase centre.
“The opposition protested against the rules. We brought stricter rules during the wheat season this time to catch those misusing the system. Now, these rules will also be implemented during the paddy season,” he added.
Probe in Taroari cases reveals shortfall of paddy
Deputy Commissioner Anand Kumar Sharma said that two criminal cases were registered against two rice mills in Taroari, and a sub-inspector of the department of food civil supplies and consumer affairs (DFSC) was also arrested.
Police said that sub-inspector Ramphal of the DFSC Karnal was arrested in connection with an FIR registered for shortage of paddy stock in a mill and allotting paddy allegedly to a non-functional mill. The cases were lodged against Balaji Rice Mill and Vishavkarma Rice Mill.
SP Narender Bijarniya said that during physical verification, the rice mills were found short of 10,000 and 26,000 quintals of paddy, respectively.
“The rice mill owners in collusion with the DFSC officials allotted paddy to a non-functional mill. They were booked in both cases, and investigations are underway,” he added.
While speaking in connection with this, the agriculture minister said that these discrepancies occurred during the last season, but the new rules will keep such elements in check.
Sunflower procurement begins
The Haryana government on Monday initiated the procurement process of sunflower seeds, advanced by nearly a week.
Earlier, it was scheduled to start from June 1, but the farmers had been demanding early purchase as the harvesting picked up pace and the crop was lying in the fields.
The minimum support price (MSP) for sunflower for the rabi marketing season 2026-27 is fixed at ₹7,721 per quintal.
The government has made 17 purchase centres in five districts of Haryana, including seven each in Ambala and Kurukshetra, while one centre each has been allotted in Karnal, Yamunanagar and Panchkula districts.
Rana said that the sunflower procurement was started early for the benefit of the farmers and they will not face any difficulties in the markets.
Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) spokesperson Rakesh Kumar Bains thanked the chief minister for accepting their demand.
