TNCSC urges local officials not to buy paddy from middlemen

CHENNAI: With Kharif marketing season in delta and other districts of Tamil Nadu commencing, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has issued a directive to the district authorities not to procure paddy from anyone other than directly from farmers.

In a directive the corporation authorities informed the district level authorities of stringent action including legal action if paddy is procured from middlemen and not from farmers.

The Managing Director of the TNCSC, A. Annadurai also said that if any worker at the District Procurement Centre (DPC) delays procurement due to bribery, that person will be immediately relieved from his job.

The number of DPCs in each district will be finalised by the district collector based on the harvest of paddy in the respective districts.

The TNCSC also informed the local authorities that no paddy must be procured from traders backed by local bigwigs and that strong action will be taken against the concerned official.

The department has also authenticated the Aadhar card of the farmers who are supplying paddy to the DPCs and will be recorded. If there is found to be malpractice, legal action would be taken against the concerned district level officer.

As per the guidelines of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), farmers will receive a price of Rs 2310 per quintal for A-grade paddy and Rs 2265 for common paddy varieties at the Direct Procurement Centres.