Moving a step forward against erring rice mill-owners, the Andhra Pradesh (AP) government has decided to impose restrictions on paddy (de-husked) stocks and levy free rice movement outside the state. It is the first state to do so after the central government empowered states to impose stock limit on paddy, in August.
The group of ministers (GoMs) suggested to insist 50% of the levy free rice to be sold within the state and the remaining half to be allowed to export to other states. It is in the ratio of 1:1/2:1/2 ie., if one unit of rice is delivered as levy, then half of it is allowed to be sold with in the state, with the remaining half being eligible for export to other states.
?This measure is aimed at improving the supply of rice within the state and control rising prices,? state information minister A Ramanarayana Reddy told media after a Cabinet meeting. The suggestions of GoMs were approved by the state Cabinet in Hyderabad on Monday and forwarded for the Centre?s nod, he added.
Though, the GoMs recommended restricting paddy stocks with rice mill-owners in order to tackle the availability and prices of paddy. The Centre clarified that there shall not be any restriction on the inter-state movement of paddy, sources said.
Accordingly, the maximum paddy stock that can be held by a rice mill having a 0.5-tonne capacity per hour is 1,800 tonne and mills having 5-tonne capacity per hour can stock 25,200 tonne in a period six months.