In a significant decision aimed at ensuring smooth paddy procurement from farmers, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday approved a doubling of milling charges for both parboiled and raw rice.
Under the new rates, the milling charge for Parboiled Rice (Ushuna Chaula) has been increased from ₹20 to ₹40 per quintal, while the charge for Raw Rice (Arua Chaula) has been raised from ₹10 to ₹20 per quintal.
The decision was taken keeping in view the need for hassle-free procurement of paddy directly from farmers. Officials believe the higher milling rates will resolve long-standing issues faced by millers and strengthen the state’s food security apparatus.
Speaking on the development, Chief Minister Majhi expressed confidence that the revised rates would help millers overcome rising operational costs and enable faster and smoother procurement of paddy from farmers across the state.
The move comes against the backdrop of substantial increases in labour wages, petrol prices, and other milling-related inputs in recent years. It has also been noted that milling charges in several other states are already significantly higher than those previously offered in Odisha.
This proactive step by the state government is expected to encourage greater participation from rice millers in the procurement process, ensuring that farmers receive timely payments and that the public distribution system remains robust.
