The food, civil supplies and consumer affairs department in Punjab has come up with stricter norms for rice millers in its custom milling policy and draft agreement for kharif marketing season 2008-09.

The step has been taken to curb the malpractice of rice millers who fail to meet the criteria laid down by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and fall short to deliver the prescribed rice to the state government agencies.

To ensure smooth operation of custom milling, the department has laid down stern criteria for defaulters. As per the data, 3,000 rice millers are registered with the state government. However, according to the sources, only 2300 are active which have been following the norms.

As per the policy only those rice mills, which have completed entire milling of paddy during kharif 2007-08 and have delivered the resultant rice will be eligible for allotment of paddy during kharif marketing season 2008-09. The process of allotment of rice mills would be completed before September 26. The heads of the concerned agencies have been asked to prepare an authenticated list of defaulter rice mills and will submit it to district food and supplies controller department. For the first time, the department has asked the rice millers to produce receipt of offers of bank guarantee and cash security from the miller by September 29 for securing the allotment.

In custom milling, the paddy is procured by official agencies and given to millers of mill on their behalf. The policy will be followed by procuring agencies Pungrain, Markfed, Punsup, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation, Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation, Food Corporation of India and the rice millers and their legal heirs.

The defaults may be on the count if the rice mill has delivered custom milled rice of any agency pertaining to the previous years including 2007-08 or not. If the rice mills have not delivered 75% levy on rice in KMS 2007-08 then they will not be eligible for allotment.

Moreover, premises of a defaulter miller will be treated, as defaulter and no such mill even if leased out to third party will be eligible for allotment.