The All Odisha Rice Millers Association has withdrawn its ongoing agitation following assurances from the state government on fulfilling their demands.
The decision was announced during a press conference, where the association stated that paddy procurement at mandis will resume normally from tomorrow.
The process will continue until Makar Sankranti, but if the remaining demands are not met within 15 days, the millers have warned of intensifying their protest.
Association secretary Laxminarayan Deepak Ranjan Dash explained that the government has accepted one of their four key demands: the pending custody maintenance charges for the years 2023-24 and 2024-25, totaling Rs 160 crore.
An official letter has been issued, committing to clear these dues within the next seven days. The other three demands include revising transportation charges (for moving paddy from mandis to mills and rice from mills to godowns), resolving the drying issues with Arua paddy, and increasing compensation for losses.
Dash highlighted the Arua paddy concern, noting that paddy is procured at 17% moisture content but rice is sold at 14%, resulting in a 3% loss for millers. Previously, the government provided 1% compensation for this, but it has been reduced to 0.078%. The association is demanding a restoration to the earlier rate.
On the government’s side, Food Supplies Minister Krishna Chandra Patra confirmed that paddy lifting has normalized after discussions with the millers’ association yesterday. Directives have been issued for the accepted demands, and procurement has resumed in 19 districts. As of now, 1,93,867 metric tonnes of paddy have been procured, benefiting 3,15,431 farmers who have sold their produce. Millers have lifted 13,59,974 metric tonnes so far.
The minister assured that the government is seriously considering the remaining demands and aims to resolve all issues within the 15-day timeframe to ensure smooth operations.
