THANJAVUR: Workers at Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) staged a protest in front of the Senior Regional Manager of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) in Thanjavur on Tuesday (July 21), alleging they were being unfairly held responsible for bribe collection and demanding a fair probe, faster paddy movement, and a wage hike.

The protesters said procured paddy had not been moved from the centres since the procurement season began, leading to a shortage of storage space and affecting smooth procurement. They urged the authorities to shift paddy once a DPC accumulates 5,000 bags.

Seeking a wage revision, the workers demanded a minimum monthly salary of Rs 30,000.

Referring to the Food Minister's recent visit to the Delta region, the workers said he had contacted farmers from DPCs over the phone to inquire about alleged bribe collection. "This indirectly targets us. The money collected for various reasons is distributed to several sources, but we alone are being held responsible. The government should conduct a fair investigation and take steps to curb bribe collection," they said.

The protest disrupted paddy procurement for some time. Following talks with officials and their assurance, the workers withdrew their protest.