State’s proposal to revise moisture level to 22 pc awaits Centre’s approval

The state has sent a proposal to increase the moisture content condition for paddy from 17 per cent to 22 per cent and a committee would soon review this request while several committees at various levels have been formed to monitor the procurement process in the Direct Procurement Centres to avoid irregularities, said, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) Managing Director M Sudha Devi in Tiruvarur on Wednesday.

Speaking at a review meeting on kharif season procurement, the Managing Director who chaired the review said, the procurement for the kharif season for 2020-21 commenced on October 1 and as many as 249 DPCs have commenced procurement in Tiruvarur through which 82,834 MT paddy has been procured so far. Kuruvai was cultivated in an area of one lakh acres in which harvest has been completed in 90,000 acres while the remaining acreage would be completed soon.

“The DPCs would continue to procure till the entire harvest has been covered. So far, 65 lakh bags of paddy have been procured. While the state government has approached the Centre recommending to revise the moisture content condition for paddy from 17 per cent to 22 per cent and a special committee would soon review this,” Sudha Devi said.

Meanwhile, the TNCSC Managing Director informed that several teams have been formed at various levels to monitor the procurement process in the DPCs to prevent irregularities and the officials and employees would undergo severe action if they were found to be involved in any sorts of irregularities, she warned. She also assured that the government has been initiating all steps to procure paddy without any issues. Tiruvarur Collector T Anand, DRO Ponnammal and others were present at the review meeting.