Total Seizures Rise to 16,972.26 Quintals Valued at ₹5.26 Crore; 138 Cases Registered So Far in Kharif Marketing Year 2025-26
Published on: December 03, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
As Chhattisgarh begins paddy procurement at the support price of ₹3,100 per quintal, illegal paddy smuggling has surged across several border districts. With neighbouring states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Odisha offering lower market prices ranging between ₹1,800 and ₹2,000 per quintal, smugglers are attempting to push their stocks into Rajnandgaon—considered one of the most sensitive zones due to its geographic location.
However, the Rajnandgaon administration’s stringent enforcement measures continue to deliver strong results.
Seven New Cases Registered
Acting on the directives of Collector Jitendra Yadav, joint teams from the Revenue, Food and Mandi Departments conducted raids across multiple locations on Tuesday. The teams seized 528 quintals (1,320 bags) of illegal paddy valued at ₹16,36,800 across seven cases.
Area-wise Seizure Details
| Subdivision | Cases | Quantity | Bags | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajnandgaon | 5 | 418 quintals | 1,045 bags | ₹12,95,800 |
| Dongargaon | 2 | 110 quintals | 275 bags | ₹3,41,000 |
Overall Seizures So Far
Since the start of the Kharif Marketing Year 2025–26, the administration has seized:
- 138 cases registered
- 16,972.26 quintals (42,431 bags) seized
- Total valuation: ₹5,26,14,006
- 8 vehicles confiscated
Subdivision-wise Cumulative Summary
| Subdivision | Cases | Quantity (Quintals) | Bags | Value | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajnandgaon | 57 | 9,729.20 | 24,323 | ₹3,01,60,520 | 2 |
| Dongargarh | 39 | 3,439.26 | 8,598 | ₹1,66,01,706 | 2 |
| Dongargaon | 42 | 3,803.80 | 9,510 | ₹1,17,91,780 | 4 |
Warning of Tougher Action Against Smugglers
The administration has reiterated that criminal cases will be filed against middlemen and brokers found repeatedly involved in illegal paddy trade.
To intensify surveillance, a list of 1,500 mandi license holders in the district has been prepared. SDMs, tehsildars and officials from the Food and Mandi Departments have been instructed to inspect warehouses and seize illegally stored paddy without delay.
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Three Inter-State Checkposts Active Round-the-Clock
To curb cross-border smuggling, the district has activated checkposts at:
- Bortalab
- Patekohra
- Kallubanjari
At these locations, teams from the Mandi Department, Home Guard, Forest Department and Revenue Department are deployed in three shifts, ensuring 24-hour monitoring.
With the procurement drive in full swing, illegal smuggling networks are attempting to exploit the price differential—but the consistent vigilance of district teams under Collector Jitendra Yadav is proving to be a major deterrent. The scale and pace of recent seizures indicate the administration’s firm resolve to clamp down on paddy smuggling this season.
