Mungeli । In a major crackdown to ensure transparency and smooth functioning of the paddy procurement system, the district administration of Mungeli has taken strict action against irregularities in custom milling. Acting on alerts received from the State Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) and following the instructions of the Chief Secretary Mr. Vikas Sheel, a joint team conducted raids on several rice mills across the district.
Under the guidance of Collector Mr. Kundan Kumar, the inspection team—comprising Superintendent of Police Mr. Bhojram Patel, District Panchayat CEO Mr. Prabhakar Pandey, Additional Collector Mr. G.L. Yadav, and officials from the revenue, police, and food departments—uncovered serious violations including overloading, recycling, and discrepancies in custom milling operations.
Following the inspections, more than 12,000 quintals of paddy were seized from mills found guilty of irregularities. These include Upleta Rice Mill (Mungeli), National Dal Mill on Navagaon Ghutera Road, Vardhman Milling Industries, Jain Rice Industries, and Navkar Dal Udyog located on Pandariya Road. Additionally, shortages of over 198 quintals of paddy were found at Deepak Rice Industries and Deepak Milling Industries on Navagarh Road, while a shortage exceeding 1,761 quintals was detected at SS Food on Lormi Road.
District Food Officer Mr. Hulesh Dadsena stated that action is being taken against 19 rice mills under the Chhattisgarh Rice Procurement Order and the Motor Vehicles Act. Of these, 14 rice mills have been sealed.
Continuous Monitoring Through ICCC
As per state government directives, during the Kharif Marketing Year 2025–26, millers are lifting paddy from cooperative societies. To ensure strict oversight, the government has established an ICCC Command Center. Paddy transport vehicles are being monitored through GPS tracking. Any abnormal behavior—such as prolonged stoppage at a single location, route deviation, or transportation beyond permitted capacity—triggers an online alert on the command control portal, which is then investigated at the district level.
To curb illegal storage and transportation of paddy, surveillance has been intensified at district borders and check posts. Special focus is being given to suspicious vehicles, with teams deployed at all internal check posts. Night patrols and intensive vehicle checks are also being conducted. An Integrated Command and Control Center has been set up at the district level to monitor procurement, storage, and transportation in real time, ensuring swift action against any irregularities.
Transparency in Paddy Procurement Is the Top Priority: Collector
Collector Mr. Kundan Kumar reiterated that transparency in paddy procurement is the district administration’s top priority. He warned that any involvement of middlemen, fraud, or irregularities would invite strict action. He assured that every grain of paddy produced by farmers will be procured as per government norms, and that farmers will receive timely payment directly into their bank accounts for their hard-earned produce.