Haryana govt mulls one-time settlement scheme for defaulting rice millers
Haryana is considering a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for defaulting rice millers who failed to deliver Custom-Milled Rice (CMR) or pay dues. Karnal alone has 58 defaulters owing nearly ₹520 crore, while authorities continue property auctions to recover outstanding payments and improve compliance.
The Haryana Government is considering a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme for rice millers who have failed to deliver Custom-Milled Rice (CMR) or deposit the equivalent amount owed to the government. The proposed initiative is aimed at recovering long-pending dues while providing defaulting millers an opportunity to settle their liabilities without getting entangled in lengthy legal proceedings.
The Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has sought detailed reports from District Food Supplies Controllers (DFSCs) across the state on defaulting rice millers who could benefit from the proposed scheme.
“The government is planning a one-time settlement scheme for rice millers to recover pending dues. We are currently preparing a list of such millers who may avail the benefit of the scheme,” said Mukesh Kumar, DFSC, Karnal.
Even as the OTS proposal is under consideration, the Karnal district administration has intensified efforts to recover outstanding dues by initiating the auction of properties belonging to defaulting rice mill owners and their guarantors.
Official records show that 58 rice mills in Karnal district have defaulted on payments amounting to nearly Rs 520 crore between 2013-14 and 2024-25. Authorities had earlier ordered the auction of properties owned by 19 defaulting millers and their guarantors. Proceedings have now begun against 10 millers and their guarantors who failed to deliver CMR worth around Rs 48 crore.
Under the CMR scheme, rice millers are required to mill paddy supplied by procurement agencies and return 67 per cent of the processed rice to the government. Despite repeated extensions and deadlines, several millers failed to comply with the norms.
Data indicates a persistent pattern of defaults. During the 2023-24 procurement season, five millers failed to deliver CMR worth about Rs 22 crore. Similar defaults were reported from five millers in 2022-23, two in 2021-22, five in 2020-21, four in 2019-20, three in 2017-18, one in 2016-17, four in 2015-16, six in 2014-15 and 16 millers in 2013-14.
Officials said delayed enforcement, particularly the failure to auction properties in time, enabled several defaulters to evade accountability and, in some cases, secure fresh paddy allotments by operating under new mill names. To strengthen recovery efforts, a three-member committee constituted by former Karnal Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh conducted physical verification of properties owned by defaulting millers and their guarantors.
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Source : The Tribune
