Is This a Case of Breach of Trust? Custom Milling for New Season Begins, But Last Year’s Rice Remains Unsubmitted
Published on: November 28, 2025
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
With the commencement of the new paddy procurement season, the process of custom milling has also resumed across the district. However, an alarming issue from the previous year continues to haunt the system — a significant portion of rice, which millers were obligated to deposit, remains unsubmitted.
According to official sources, nearly 1.75 lakh quintals of rice from last year’s milling cycle is still pending. This stock was to be deposited with both NAN (Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) as per government guidelines.
Despite a clearly defined timeframe for deposition, the rice was not submitted within the mandated deadline, creating friction between departmental officials and rice millers as the new season begins.
Millers vs Administration: The Blame Game
Officials accuse the millers of negligence and non-compliance in depositing the previous year’s output.
Millers, meanwhile, claim that:
- transportation delays,
- slow payments, and
- logistical bottlenecks
were responsible for the backlog.
However, the volume of pending stock raises questions far beyond logistical delays.
Key Facts: How Big Is the Gap?
- Total paddy lifted last year: 57 lakh quintals
- Rice to be deposited as per milling percentage: 39,17,965 quintals
- Actual rice deposited: approx. 37 lakh quintals
- Pending rice: nearly 1.75 lakh quintals
- Estimated value of pending rice: around ₹80 crore
Officials and observers describe the situation as akin to a breach of trust, as government paddy handed over for milling remains unreturned in the form of rice.
Current Situation: New Milling Begins, Old Stock Still Pending
Despite the backlog, custom milling for the new season has already started.
However, officials warn that if last year’s rice is not deposited promptly, the new cycle may also get adversely affected.
Recently, Collector Jitendra Yadav convened a meeting with mill owners and reviewed the milling procedures. The administration has signed custom milling agreements with 40 rice mills for the current season.
Yet the on-ground reality suggests that the influence of millers remains strong. Despite repeated warnings, their grip over procurement and milling operations appears largely intact.
Conclusion: A System Under Strain
The pending rice worth ₹80 crore is not just a financial concern — it raises critical questions about accountability in the government procurement system.
Unless strict action is taken, experts fear that such gaps may become a recurring feature of the paddy procurement cycle.
For now, one thing is clear:
millers continue to operate from a position of comfort and leverage, while the administration struggles to enforce compliance.
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