Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy has taken a tough stance against rice millers attempting to 'blackmail' the state regarding unpaid dues. He has ordered officials to seize mills of willful defaulters and explore handing operations to women's self-help groups.

Key Takeaways

  • CM Revanth Reddy refuses to tolerate 'blackmail' regarding dues from rice millers.
  • Directives issued to seize mills operated by willful defaulters.
  • Proposal to entrust mill operations to women Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
  • Plan to construct large-scale godowns (50-100 acres) in high-yield constituencies.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has asserted that the state government will not tolerate any form of 'blackmail' by rice millers concerning the collection of outstanding dues. During a review meeting of the Civil Supplies Department on Wednesday, the Chief Minister directed officials to formulate a comprehensive policy to ensure prompt repayment of all pending amounts.

The Chief Minister has specifically instructed officials to identify and take over the operations of mills managed by willful defaulters. To promote social empowerment alongside economic recovery, Mr. Reddy suggested that the government is considering entrusting the operation of these defaulting mills to women self-help groups (SHGs). This move aims to ensure that milling responsibilities are handled by accountable community groups.

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this aggressive stance is designed to plug revenue leakages and stabilize the state's food grain supply chain. By targeting willful defaulters and involving women's groups, the government is not just recovering money but also restructuring the industry to be more inclusive and less prone to exploitation.

The move to replace defaulting millers with women-led groups could redefine rural industrial management in Telangana.

Furthermore, to address storage shortages, the CM proposed a pilot project for constructing massive godowns spanning 50 to 100 acres across five selected constituencies. The selection of these locations will be strictly based on the highest quantum of food grain yields. He also emphasized utilizing resources available under rural employment guarantee schemes to facilitate these infrastructure projects.

Did You Know?: Integrating Self-Help Groups into industrial operations is a strategic move to boost rural female workforce participation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What action will be taken against defaulting rice millers?
The government plans to collect all outstanding dues and may take over the physical operation of mills owned by willful defaulters.

2. How will new godowns be selected?
New godowns will be constructed on a pilot basis in constituencies that show the highest yields of food grains.