Nagpur/Gondia: The seven rice mills in Deori, Gondia, have been blacklisted for a period of three years by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) following raids conducted on May 7. These mills have been found guilty of supplying substandard rice, leading to their punitive action.
The rice millers in Deori had obtained good quality paddy from the government but had deposited substandard rice in their godowns. The quality of this rice is deemed unfit for consumption, even for animals. Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Central Investigation Team submitted their report to the Gondia Collector, prompting the decision to blacklist these mills for three years.
It is important to note that one lot of rice, equivalent to 403 quintals (including gunny bags), is obtained in exchange for LD of paddy. A lot weighs approximately 27 tonnes, with a minimum market value of Rs 7.5 lakh per lot. Accordingly, these seven mills have deposited around 27 lots of substandard rice in the godown, amounting to crores of rupees.
The blacklisting of the rice mills serves as a significant measure to hold them accountable for their actions and deter similar misconduct in the future. The FCI’s decision aims to safeguard the quality standards of rice supplied to consumers and uphold the integrity of the procurement process.
The seven blacklisted mills are: Basant Rice Mill (Dongargaon), Tirupati Rice Mill (Deori), Maharashtra Agro Industries (Chichgarh), Maa Bhagwati Rice Industry (Deori), Indian Food Products (Chichgarh) Balaji, along with other rice mills of Deori tehsil for custom milling the procured paddy. Rice Mill (Borgaon Bazar) entered into a custom milling agreement with Maa Shakti Rice Industries (Deori).
These 7 millers had deposited 27 lots of CMR rice worth crores of rupees during that time Satish Agade was appointed as the Rice Quality Officer (Quality Controller)
The concerned authorities will closely monitor the operations of the blacklisted mills during the three-year period. This action sends a strong message to all rice millers that supplying substandard rice will not be tolerated, emphasizing the importance of maintaining quality standards in the food industry.