Other States - Punjab   

Rice norms relaxed for Haryana

CHANDIGARH: The Central Government has agreed to relax the specifications for slightly damaged and discoloured rice grains from three per cent to four per cent for Haryana as it was done in the case of Punjab about one month ago.

Union Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar accepted Haryana’s demand in a meeting with Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at New Delhi on Thursday, according to an official press note here.

Mr. Hooda said that since Punjab and Haryana were in the same agro-climatic zone where similar varieties were grown and common conditions prevailed, any relaxation in specifications in case of Punjab should be made applicable to Haryana also.

He further said that the drought in Haryana had caused shrivelling and new varieties like PAU 201 had been introduced. Due to delay in relaxation of specifications the millers were not supplying rice.

Mr. Hooda has thanked United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr. Pawar for accepting his request to relax uniform specifications of rice during Kharif marketing season 2009-10.

He said that the decision would benefit a large number of farmers and millers.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Badal rejects MSP hike for wheat
Rice norms relaxed for Haryana
Left parties ask Congress for a policy change

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu