Bhubaneswar, 05 January (H.S.): Rice millers across Odisha have decided to stop operations after talks between the state government and the All Odisha Rice Millers’ Association (AORMA) failed to produce any concrete outcome.
A meeting between AORMA representatives and the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department to resolve long-pending issues ended without agreement, with the government not providing any written assurance. The association announced that it would continue its agitation and suspend rice mill operations statewide.
AORMA leaders said paddy procurement-related activities will remain halted in all districts until the government issues a formal written commitment addressing their demands. These include payment of custody and maintenance charges for the Kharif Marketing Seasons 2023-24 and 2024-25, additional incentives for custom milling, revision of transportation charges beyond 40 km, and restoration of one per cent driage for raw milling.
The association stated that millers had earlier resumed operations based on verbal assurances given during meetings in late November and early December. However, with no official order issued even after more than five weeks, the millers decided to intensify their protest.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
