Latest news with #KMS
IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Portfolio Committee to interrogate private security regulator over procurement allegations
Portfolio Committee set to hold PSIRA accountable for alleged procurement fraud Image: File The Portfolio Committee on Police is set to engage with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA) in the wake of serious allegations surrounding impropriety and fraud linked to the procurement process of PSiRA's knowledge management system (KMS). These allegations suggest potential misconduct involving senior officials within the authority, raising concerns over the integrity of public procurement processes. The committee has highlighted the importance of this meeting, viewing it as a critical step in ensuring transparency and integrity in an industry that plays a vital role in public safety. PSiRA, which oversees a multibillion-rand private security sector, is under scrutiny not just for its financial practices, but also for its operational transparency. Any negligence in ethical standards or unlawful practices within the regulatory body could have far-reaching implications, undermining the safety delivered by the private security sector and eroding the confidence of the citizens it aims to protect. The allegations specifically point to the manipulation of the KMS contract, leading to the apparent failure of internal safeguards that are designed to comply with public finance legislation. Such a lapse raises urgent questions about the governance and oversight mechanisms currently in place at PSiRA. In its oversight role, the committee is firmly committed to ensuring that accountability measures are enforced. The engagement with PSiRA represents a vital opportunity for the authority to address these serious claims and reaffirm its commitment to ethical governance. IOL
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Panchkula: 2 partners of Luxmi Rice Industries booked for paddy milling fraud
Partners of M/s Luxmi Rice Industries, Barwala, have been booked for allegedly cheating the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC) by failing to deliver the full quantity of rice due under a government milling agreement during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2023-24. The case was registered after the company defaulted on delivering a significant portion of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) despite receiving over 2175.3375 metric tons of paddy. The manager of HSWC, Ambala, on March 12, lodged the complaint against rice mill partners — Deepak Kumar Gupta and Kailash Rani — accusing the firm of violating the terms of an agreement signed on October 15, 2023, between now-retired HSWC official Somnath and Deepak Kumar Gupta. As per the agreement, the mill was required to return 67.5% of the paddy received in the form of CMR. However, by the delivery deadline of September 30, 2024, the firm had delivered only 1363.00 metric tons of CMR, against the required 1472.0509 metric tons, resulting in a shortfall of 109.0509 metric tons of CMR. The HSWC has calculated that approximately ₹3,051,990 lakh is recoverable from the rice mill, after adjusting penalties and dues as of March 6, 2025. Following the complaint, police have registered a case under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code against partners Deepak Kumar Gupta and Kailash Rani. Despite multiple notices and reminders, neither the millers nor the guarantors—Rakesh Gupta of RR Agro Foods and Yashana Dhingra of Shree Krishna Rice Mill—have responded. The HSWC has also withheld payments due to Rakesh Gupta, who is a current miller under the same procurement season.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Koraput admn to open mandis for paddy procurement soon
1 2 3 4 Koraput: The Koraput administration is planning to make mandis operational within the next two to three days, provided weather conditions remain favourable, for procurement of paddy, officials said. Earlier it had decided to open the paddy procurement centres (mandis) for the rabi marketing season (RMS)-2024 from May 25. This time, procurement is being done at the state level and millers from outside the district are also participating in the process. "All necessary infrastructures have been put in place, and we expect to open mandis in the next few days," said Koraput collector Keerthi Vasan V. "At least 35 millers from Kalahandi district have expressed interest to participate in the procurement process, and more millers from neighbouring districts are likely to join soon," the collector added. Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) Ltd has arranged custom millers from outside the district to step in after the Koraput District Rice Millers Association cited storage issues and declined to participate in paddy procurement. Association president Tripati Rao stated that godowns are overflowing due to delays in lifting rice procured during the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25. Farmers, concerned by the delay in paddy procurment, have urged the administration to extend mandi operations. "We request the administration to expedite the procurement process. The monsoon has arrived, and it is difficult for farmers to store harvested crops," said Abhinash Padhi, a farmer from Kaliagaon. The district has been given a target to procure 56,644 metric tonnes of paddy. Of the total, 58 mandis are planned for Jeypore sub-division, with the remainder to be established in Koraput sub-division. Koraput's chief civil supplies officer, Pradeep Kumar Panda, assured that all precautionary measures have been taken to prevent inconvenience to farmers. "Mandis will remain open until the target is met," he said. Around 1,69,789 farmers have registered to sell their produce this season. Authorities have instructed them to bring only fair average quality (FAQ) paddy to the procurement centres.
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Centre announces MSP hike for 14 Kharif crops; highest for ragi, 3% increase for paddy
The Centre Wednesday announced minimum support prices (MSP) for 14 crops for the 2025-26 Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), with moong seeing the lowest and ragi the highest increase. A decision to this effect was taken by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In percentage terms, ragi recorded a maximum hike of 13.89 per cent to Rs 4,886 per quintal in KMS 2025-26 as against Rs 4,290 per quintal in the last season. Like ragi, another millet crop, jowar also saw almost a double-digit hike in percentage terms in its MSP. The MSP of jowar (hybrid) and jowar (Maldandi) has been fixed at Rs 3,699 and Rs 3,749 per quintal, respectively, which is almost 10 per cent higher as compared to the last Kharif season. The MSP of bajra has been fixed at Rs 2,775 per quintal, which is 5.71 per cent higher compared to the last season's Rs 2,625 per quintal. In recent years, the government has been promoting millet crops, including ragi and jowar, and has declared them as Shree Anna. Ragi accounts for just 0.51 per cent of the gross cropped area of the country and is mainly grown in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Major jowar producing states are Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. VIDEO | Delhi: Here's what Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) said during Cabinet Briefing: 'Today, we will discuss the five most important decisions taken by Union Cabinet. Two big decisions are taken for Farmers' welfare. These are MSP for Kharif crops and… — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 28, 2025 Moong, a pulse crop, saw the lowest hike of just 0.99 per cent—to Rs 8,768 per quintal in KMS 2025-26 from Rs 8,682 per quintal during the last season. Moong is grown in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. Like moong, paddy has also seen a low hike in MSP. The MSP for paddy (common) and paddy (Grade A) has been fixed at Rs 2,369 and 2,389 per quintal, respectively, which is just 3 per cent higher compared to the last season. The reason for the low hike in MSP for paddy is that the government has record stock of rice in the Central Pool. As per the Food Corporation of India (FCI), 381.47 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice and 318.73 LMT of unmilled paddy were available in the Central Pool as on May 1, 2025. Taken together (rice and unmilled paddy), the total rice stock would be 595 LMT. Among oilseeds, the MSP of niger seed has been fixed at Rs 9,537 per quintal— 9.41 per cent higher than the last season; and soyabean (yellow) at Rs 5,328 per quintal— 8.91 per cent higher compared to the last season. The MSP of groundnut and sunflower seed has been increased by 7 per cent and 6 per cent, respectively. The MSP of cotton (medium staple) and cotton (long staple) has been increased by 8.27 per cent and 7.83 per cent, respectively. In absolute terms, the highest increase in MSP over the previous year has been for niger seed (Rs 820 per quintal) followed by ragi (Rs 596 per quintal), cotton (Rs 589 per quintal) and sesamum (Rs 579 per quintal). Last year, the MSP for these 14 Kharif crops was hiked in the range of 1.4-11.54 per cent. In a separate decision, the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi approved the continuation of the Interest Subvention (IS) component under the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS) for the financial year 2025-26, and approved the required fund arrangements. Under MISS, short-term credit is provided to farmers at an 'affordable interest rate' through the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). 'No changes have been proposed in the structure or other components of the scheme,' said an official statement. Harikishan Sharma, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express' National Bureau, specializes in reporting on governance, policy, and data. He covers the Prime Minister's Office and pivotal central ministries, such as the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Rural Development, and Ministry of Jal Shakti. His work primarily revolves around reporting and policy analysis. In addition to this, he authors a weekly column titled "STATE-ISTICALLY SPEAKING," which is prominently featured on The Indian Express website. In this column, he immerses readers in narratives deeply rooted in socio-economic, political, and electoral data, providing insightful perspectives on these critical aspects of governance and society. ... Read More
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Millers from other districts to procure paddy in Koraput
1 2 Koraput: To ensure seamless procurement of rabi paddy during the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25, the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) Ltd has initiated the deployment of custom millers from other districts to support operations in Koraput. In an official communication addressed to the collectors of Balangir, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Nuapada and Rayagada, OSCSC managing director K Sudarshan Chakravarty emphasised the urgency of cross-district deployment to meet procurement targets in Koraput. The letter calls for a list of eligible custom millers from these districts who can be mobilised to operate in Koraput. These millers will be selected based on several criteria, including shortest distance, track record and milling capacity, as outlined in the operational guidelines of KMS 2024-25, the letter stated. It further cautioned that the engagement of these outside millers must not disrupt procurement activities within their home districts. Chief civil supplies officer (Koraput), Pradeep Kumar Panda, described the measure as a vital step towards strengthening the state's paddy procurement framework. "The strategic move is aimed at enhancing the efficiency and coverage of the state's paddy procurement system, ensuring farmers of the district are not left behind during the critical rabi season," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Zumbido e perda de audição? Médico revela técnica caseira de 1 real para aliviar! Zumbido no ouvido Undo The move comes in the wake of the Koraput District Rice Millers Association formally notifying the district administration of their inability to participate in the procurement process due to a lack of storage capacity. Association president Tripati Rao said that godowns are overflowing as the department was yet to receive rice from the previously procured paddy under KMS 2024-25. "Only 10% of the targeted 1,70,659 metric tonnes of rice under custom milling has been received by the department so far. With our storage facilities already full, we are unable to take part in the ongoing procurement," Rao said. However, Panda clarified that the process of receiving rice from millers is ongoing and assured the remaining stock would be collected soon, thereby resolving the storage bottleneck.
