Saturday, 25 November 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Food and Civil Supplies minister Rekha Arya has issued an order to officials to act against dummy plants and mills across the State which are set up only to purchase huge amounts of paddy at minimal prices. She said that several rice mills are violating rules set by the government to ensure their proper operation and respective officials must take strict action against persons concerned including officers of the department.
She stated this after conducting raids on multiple rice mills and paddy plants in Udham Singh Nagar’s Bajpur on Friday. She raided several mills and found irregularities in five mills and plants. She noticed that these establishments lack various machines like sortex machines, dryer plants and blending machines that are mandatory to be set up as per the rules. She also found a few closed plants many of which appeared to be non-functional for a long time but were reportedly functional as per the documents.
Arya said that some people establish dummy plants just to buy paddy and other crops at minimal prices set by the government to earn profits. She immediately directed the respective officials of the department to take strict action against the said plants. She also directed them to act against all such plants across the State if they receive complaints against them. Arya directed them to cancel the target for the mills to collect paddy which are not following the rules and give it to those following rules. She asked to act against them within three days.
She directed them to send notices to such mills violating rules and take strict action against them and file an FIR if needed, she added. She said that it is a matter of extreme negligence by plants and mills as their operators are openly disregarding the rules. The government will not tolerate such acts and the departmental secretary must take action against such mills and officials found involved in it as per the directions, Arya added.
