Central Rice Research Institute at Raipur demanded

New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh today asked the Centre to set up a Central Rice Research Institute at Raipur, revive the ban on export of non-basmati rice, and bring the procurement price of paddy on a par with wheat.

Addressing the 54th meeting of the National Development Council, Mr Singh also called for urgent Central intervention on the issue of regularisation of encroachment on forest land prior to 1980 involving 54,000 tribal families in the State.

''Although required compensatory afforestation has been completed by the State Government, the matter has been pending with the Centre for more than a decade. In fact, these are the areas where naxalite activities have grown over the years,'' he said.

He also sought urgent implemention of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers' Recognition of Forest Rights Act, 2006, in the interest of tribals living in remote areas.

He said the Centre must also come up with a comprehensive policy on procurement of minority forest produce (MFP) on support price as in case of agriculture produce.

On the 'Universalisation of Secondary Education' programme, he said due weightage should be given to ''undeserved States'' such as Chhattisgarh while allocating funds under the scheme, namely, 'Success'.

UNI