Amid the ongoing tussle over procurement of paddy cultivated in the current rabi, the Food Corporation of India was authorised by Centre to give one more extension of deadline to the State government to deliver custom milled rice (CMR) for the same season last year till April 30.
The Central government had extended the deadline for delivery of the stocks six times since September and, on the last occasion, the State had sought two-month extension from March 31 but got only one month up to April 30.
The State government had procured from farmers 92.34 lakh tonnes of paddy in the rabi of 2020-21, of which it was supposed to deliver to the FCI 62.53 lakh tonnes of CMR at 67 per cent recovery. But, the State could deliver only 53.38 lakh tonnes till March 31 when the fifth extension expired and the balance 9.15 lakh tonnes of rice was held up when a fresh controversy over procurement of grains for this season between the State and Central governments erupted.
