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In Punjab, FCI to start ‘age test’ on grain to check mixing of old rice with new stock
The ‘age test’ system will be made operational in December when Punjab’s procurement agencies will start handing over rice to the FCI, which drives public distribution across the country
With a view to checking the malpractice of mixing of rice from the previous years with the one shelled from the recently procured paddy, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has decided to introduce “age test” on the grain this kharif season in Punjab before shipping it to the outside states for public distribution.
The system will be made operational in December when the state procurement agencies will start handing over rice to the FCI, which drives public distribution across the country, after shelling of paddy procured in the upcoming kharif season.
The paddy procurement in Punjab starts from October 11 and will continue till November.
Also, the state food and civil supplies department has decided to analyse data of mandi-wise arrival of paddy in the last three seasons and install CCTV cameras in grain markets and rice mills to maintain vigil on arrival of grain. Besides, there will be physical verification of the existing stock before the onset of the procurement season.
Why test the grain?
It emerged in the last 4-5 years that rice purchased from outside the state at cheaper rates was being mixed with the newly shelled grain in Punjab and was sold to the central procurement agency to earn higher profits.
Officials say it caused losses to the tune of crores of rupees to the state exchequer though the exact figures were not ascertained.
The role of arhtiyas (commission agents), rice millers and traders — who allegedly run the illegal trade in connivance with the staff of state food and civil supplies department and state procurement agencies like Markfed, Pungrain, Punsup and the State Ware Housing Corporation besides the FCI — is under scanner.
In recently conducted raids at the rice mils, at least 35,000 bags of recycled rice were recovered from Fazilka, Nurmahal, Moga and Bathinda.
During his last week’s visit to Punjab, Union food and public distribution secretary Sudhanshu Pandey stressed on checking the malpractice, to which the state official promised to take stringent measures.
“We are ready with the new system and every lot of rice handed over to the corporation depots by the four state procurement agencies will undergo the test,” said a senior FCI official.
The test involves chemical examination, he added.
Hefty penalty will be imposed in case a rice miler is found mixing old rice with the new and the state food and civil supplies department has framed rules for this, it is learnt.
