Tenders have been called to import samba and Nadu rice. 

The paddy marketing board will issue one hundred and sixty thousand metric tons of paddy to the small and medium scale rice millers leaving with the Paddy Marketing Board, a buffer stock of fifty thousand metric tons. 

This is the first time that the paddy marketing board has called tenders to sell its paddy stock. 

The earlier practice was to issue paddy based on the letters of ministers. 

157 paddy millers have registered to buy paddy. 

The Minister P. Harrison said that several businessmen who obtained paddy from the paddy marketing board sold them at a higher price have been identified. 

Issue of paddy to such millers has been stopped. 

Legal actions have been initiated against the businessmen who have not paid money to the paddy marketing board after obtaining paddy. 

The minister added that they have to pay rupees seven thousand billion to the board for the paddy purchase.