Chattisgarh:817 cases of illegal paddy reported in two months: Food minister

Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel revealed during the Assembly’s question hour on Tuesday that a total of 817 cases of illegal transportation and storage of paddy were reported in December 2023 and January 2024, resulting in the seizure of 37,717.1 quintals of paddy.

The leader of the opposition, Charandas Mahant, sought to know from the food minister about the quantity of illegally deposited paddy during December 2023 and January 2024, the number of reported cases of illegal storage and transportation, the causes behind such illegal activities, the actions taken, and the measures in place to prevent paddy transportation from other states to Chhattisgarh.

In response, the food minister mentioned that 220 check posts have been established in the bordering districts of Chhattisgarh to curb paddy transportation. Additionally, special investigation teams have been formed at the district level to tackle illegal storage and transportation, along with other measures implemented at the district level.

Regarding actions taken, the minister stated that 253 out of the total 817 cases have been resolved, and appropriate measures have been taken under the Mandi Act, while 564 cases remain pending. He noted that Mungeli district has reported the highest number of cases.

During the session, opposition legislators questioned how paddy transportation from bordering states like Odisha and Andhra Pradesh persists despite the existence of check-posts and district-level teams. Congress MLA Chaturi Nanda highlighted instances of illegal paddy transportation from Odisha in her constituency, Saraipali. In response, the Minister clarified that paddy procurement is conducted only from registered farmers.

Congress MLA Ramkumar Yadav raised concerns about smooth paddy procurement despite a 3 lakh-hectare reduction in the cultivated area of the state.

BJP MLA Dharamlal Kaushik raised the issue of 25 lakh metric tons of paddy deposited across cooperative societies in the state, which are yet to be lifted for rice milling. He suggested that the state government expedite the lifting of these paddy stocks before they incur damage.

This article has been republished from The Times of India.