Jagraon Rice Millers Protest at FCI Office: Allegations of Discrimination, Bribery, and Reduction in Storage

March 18, 2026

In Ludhiana district, the Jagraon Rice Millers Association staged a sit-in protest outside the Food Corporation of India (FCI) office to press for their demands. The Association leveled serious allegations of discrimination, collusion, and bribery against government departments.

They also alleged that storage space for the Jagraon Procurement and Milling Center was being reduced, and that the allocation of grain loads was being diverted to other centers.

The protest was led by the Association’s President, Ankur Gupta. During the demonstration, rice mill owner Colonel Inderpal Singh Dhaliwal exposed the alleged factionalism prevailing among rice millers, as well as the rampant bribery within the government departments. He stated that certain millers are colluding with officials, a situation that is exacerbating the existing problems.

Dhaliwal alleged that officials are exploiting this factionalism to extract higher bribes. Calling upon the millers to unite, he asserted that a resolution to their problems would remain impossible until all millers stood together in solidarity.

The Association alleged that the Jagraon Procurement and Milling Center is being subjected to deliberate discrimination. While other centers are being allocated 42 to 45 percent of the available storage space, Jagraon has been restricted to a mere 30 to 32 percent.

The millers contend that, despite the shortage of space in Jagraon, the allocation and movement of paddy loads are being deliberately diverted to other centers. These other centers are also being provided with additional facilities, resulting in financial losses for the millers in Jagraon and severely disrupting their operations.

Warning of State-Level Agitation

President Ankur Gupta stated that this issue has been raised on multiple occasions before the FCI, the DFSC, the District Administration, and various agencies such as Markfed, Punsup, and PSWC. However, on every instance, they received nothing but assurances, with no concrete action being taken.