C'garh CM Baghel meets central ministers, demands procurement of rice from state for central pool

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday met Union ministers Narendra Singh Tomar and Ramvilas Paswan here and urged them to procure rice from the state for the central pool, an official statement said.

He also sought the Centre's support in encouraging sale of bio-ethanol in Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh Agriculture and Water Resources Minister Ravindra Choubey and Food Minister Amarjeet Bhagat accompanied the chief minister in the meetings.

The chief minister has requested slackening of the provision to procure 32 lakh metric ton of rice from Chhattisgarh for central pool in larger interest of farmers.

It is noteworthy that according to the decision taken by central government in year 2014, rice will not be procured from the states that provide bonus against paddy procurement at support price, the statement issued by the state government said.

But despite the decision, the provision was slackened for last two years and rice was being procured from Chhattisgarh for central pool, it said.

Keeping this in view, the Chhattisgarh government has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to slacken the provision for year 2019-20 as well and procure 32 lakh metric tons of rice from Chhattisgarh.

Baghel said that it is estimated that over 85 lakh metric tonne of rice will be procured this year.

Meanwhile, the chief minister has also urged the Centre to provide approval for production of bio-ethanol as an alternative use of acquired surplus paddy in the year 2019-20.

He said this would encourage investment in the field of bio-fuel.