BRS protests new paddy procurement system in Karimnagar

BRS leaders and farmers staged a protest in Choppadandi against new paddy procurement norms, citing financial burden and delays. They demanded a return to the previous system, alleging the new rules would create hardships for farmers during procurement.

Karimnagar: BRS leaders along with farmers staged a protest demonstration in Choppadandi on Tuesday, demanding the State government to abolish the new system introduced to procure paddy.

Besides immediate upload of track sheets (details of purchased crop), transportation of crop in lorries and tractors with GPS facility are new norms introduced by the government in paddy procurement.

---

Opposing the new norms, BRS leaders led by Choppadandi in-charge and former MLA Sunke Ravishankar staged a dharna and rasta roko at the Ambedkar statue and raised slogans against the government for its anti-farmer decisions.

Speaking on the occasion, Ravishankar said that farmers, who were already in trouble due to delay in procurement of the crop, would face more problems if the new system was implemented.

It is going to be a burden for farmers, who have to bear Rs 4,000 on each tractor. Moreover, it would take two months to complete the purchasing process in each centre. The crop would be soaked if there was unseasonal rain.

Why both the State and Central governments were least bothered about the issue though the farmers were opposing it, he questioned.

Demanding the abolition of the new system, Ravishankar wanted the government to follow the old system introduced by the BRS president K Chandrashekhar Rao.

Police cleared the way by arresting agitating BRS leaders and workers.