Chandigarh, Nov. 7 -- With the kharif procurement season at its fag end, the Punjab government is awaiting a response from Union ministry of food and public distribution for relaxation of procurement norms for paddy crop, which suffered extensive damage during floods, incessant rains in August and September when the crop was at the maturing stage. Subsequent diseases like loose smut and yellow smut have also affected the yield. According to initial estimates by the state food and civil supplies department, this year the extent of damaged and discoloured grain is up to 33.44% against the permissible limit of 5%. The delay has forced Punjab chief secretary KAP Sinha to write a letter to the Centre requesting an immediate decision on the relaxation of norms. On Thursday, the total arrivals in mandis touched 140 lakh tonnes, which is almost 90% of the estimated inflow that the state government is expecting. Before floods and inclement weather hit, the state was estimating paddy production to touch 182 lakh tonnes, but later revised the target to 150-155 lakh tonnes. With farmers facing a Rs.50 to Rs.500 cut for damaged/discoloured grain and moisture, and millers raising apprehensions over the out-turn ratio (OTR) of rice from damaged paddy, the state has sent repeated reminders to the Centre seeking an immediate decision on relaxation in procurement norms, but to no avail. The 1,835 procurement centres, which opened on September 16, are expected to wind up operations by November 15. "Already 250 mandis in the Majha belt of the state have been closed as the arrivals have stopped," said a senior official of the state food department, pleading anonymity. The central teams visited Punjab from October 13 to 15 to check the paddy samples from across 19 districts (except Barnala, Bathinda, Mansa, and Hoshiarpur). At least 100 samples were taken; however, after that, there is no word from the Centre. Teams also checked the paddy quality with respect to damaged, discoloured, sprouted, and weevilled (DDSW), foreign matter, immature, shrunken, and shrivelled. Preliminary findings indicate that the extent of damage and discolouration in the paddy is up to 33.44%. "It is requested that the requisite relaxations in uniform specifications for paddy procurement be announced at the earliest. This will help ensure uninterrupted procurement operations and prevent hardship to farmers in mandis," Sinha wrote to the Union ministry of food and public distribution, recently . "Technically speaking, we cannot buy damaged grain that is higher than the permissible limit. But the produce is so huge that we have to buy it," an official said, pleading anonymity, adding, "Even if the paddy has been procured, and relaxation is allowed now, it will be easier for us to mill paddy." Sinha, in his letter, has also indicated the rice miller's concern. "As this paddy is to be stored in rice mills, millers have expressed apprehension that the specifications, quality, and OTR of rice from such damaged or discoloured paddy will deviate from the usual specifications."...