The Union government has decided to withhold the release of Rs 7,000 crore for the procurement of paddy under the Centre’s schemes after chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s government failed to put up signboards and flexes of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) logo with photos of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at all ration shops.
The Centre’s action against the state reportedly comes after several reminders and can lead to a deep impact on paddy collection in the state, in the current financial year amid the current Kharif season, reported Telegraph.
The state aims to purchase 80% of its annual target of 70 lakh tonnes of paddy during the ongoing Kharif season which continues till February-end. However, this target is likely to be affected if the central government refuses to reimburse the costs.
“The state government has already procured 8.52 lakh tonnes for the NFSA schemes in this financial year for the central pool. It has procured 22 lakh tonnes of paddy, including the volume for the central pool, against its annual target of 70 lakh tonnes this year. But the state government is yet to be reimbursed for paddy it procured on behalf of the Centre,” Telegraph quoted a state official.
