Procurement season for paddy/rice purchase advanced

New Delhi, Sep 21 (UNI) Paddy/levy rice procurement under the minimum support price (MSP) mechanism along with the incentive bonus of Rs 40 per quintal will start in Punjab, Haryana and Kerala from September 25, the Government said today.

The scheme would run till March 31, 2007, an official spokesman said after the proposal was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs.

The decision follows requests from several states to advance the procurement date on the ground that paddy had started arriving in the mandis, the spokesman said.

The CCEA meet of August 10 last had approved an incentive bonus of Rs 40 per quintal during Kharif Marketing season 2006-07, in addition to the announced MSP of Rs 580 per quintal and Rs 610 per quintal in respect of 'Common' and 'Grade-A' varities of paddy.

The CCEA had approved that this incentive bonus may be made applicable from October one, 2006 till March 31, 2007.

UNI VN AK HT1637