Fri Oct 24 15:49:32 UTC 2025: Summary:
A Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) employees’ union (INTUC) is urging the Tamil Nadu state government and TNCSC management to reject proposals for mobile paddy procurement centers. The union fears these centers will lead to irregularities, financial losses, and a decline in the quality of rice supplied through the public distribution system. They cite past issues with mobile centers diverting paddy and disrupting genuine procurement from farmers, and argue that the current high paddy yields do not warrant the reintroduction of these units.
News Article:
TNCSC Union Warns Against Mobile Paddy Procurement, Citing Risk of Irregularities
TIRUVARUR, Tamil Nadu – October 24, 2025 – The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation Employees’ Union (INTUC) has issued a stark warning against the reintroduction of mobile paddy procurement centers in the state. In a press statement released today, the union urged the Tamil Nadu government and TNCSC management to reject proposals for these mobile units, arguing that they pose a significant risk to the integrity of the public distribution system.
Ka. Ilavari, General Secretary of the TNCSC Employees’ Union, stated that granting approval for mobile procurement would invite “fresh irregularities,” cause loss to the State exchequer, and jeopardise the quality of rice supplied under the public distribution system.
The union’s concerns stem from past experiences with mobile procurement centers. Mr. Ilavari highlighted instances where these units facilitated the diversion of paddy from other states into clandestine markets, effectively disrupting legitimate procurement efforts from local farmers. He emphasized that the TNCSC has been successfully procuring paddy directly from farmers for five decades.
“In the past, mobile procurement centres created conditions in which out-of-state paddy was diverted to clandestine markets and genuine procurement from farmers was disrupted,” Mr. Ilavari said.
The union, which previously protested the operation of mobile centers under the previous AIADMK administration and successfully lobbied for their suspension, also noted the current season’s exceptionally high yields. The union argues that the increased volume of paddy harvested so far necessitates a careful, centralised process, rather than mobile procurement which potentially opens the door to further abuses.
The TNCSC Employees’ Union stands firm, claiming that reinstating mobile paddy procurement will threaten the integrity of the procurement process and the reliability of the public distribution system. The state government has yet to respond to the union’s appeal.
First Piper 