HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 24: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday, joined an interactive meeting of the rice millers of the state with the department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs held at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre in Guwahati.
The meeting was organised primarily to address the subject of meeting the July 1, 2023 target of fortified rice kernels (FRK)-blended milled rice by rice millers, the meeting also touched upon other issues that have the potential to benefit millers as well as paddy cultivators of the state. As per directives from the government of India, rice to be procured by the government agencies from coming July 1 have to be mandatorily blended with fortified rice kernels. The government of Assam has extended subsidies of upto Rs 2 lakh per mill for purchase of blender machines, required for the purpose of blending of general rice grains with FRK.
Addressing the occasion, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The government of Assam has ensured that the commitments it had made to the rice millers with regards to subsidies are being met and that any grievances regarding the same would be addressed at the earliest. So far, subsidies amounting to a total of Rs 9 crore have already been released.”
CM Sarma stated that around 300 millers have already installed blender machines while the remaining are expected to do the same at the earliest. Addressing those millers who are yet to install blender machines at their mills, the chief minister reminded them of the coming July 1 deadline, after which non-FRK rice grains shall not be procured by any government rice grain procurement agencies.
Departmental minister Ranjeet Kumar Dass, chairman of Assam Food & Civil Supplies Corporation Rajen Gohain, along with host of other dignitaries, were also present.
