Enhance Kharif target, Telangana to Centre
Hyderabad: Telangana delegation of six Ministers and MPs is camping in Delhi for the last two days and is still waiting for an appointment with Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal. They have also sought the appointment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, there has been no response so far.
On Monday, Telangana reached the target of 60 lakh tonnes paddy procurement (i.e., 40 lakh tonnes rice) as per the agreement signed with the Food Corporation of India for Vaanakalam (Kharif) season. However, another 12-15 lakh tonnes of paddy is awaiting purchases at the procurement centres, while paddy is yet to be harvested in over 5 lakh acres in parts of Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Khammam, Nalgonda and erstwhile Mahabubnagar districts. The State government had already requested the Union government to enhance the procurement target as the procurement is likely to continue till January 15.
Speaking to mediapersons at Telangana Bhavan earlier, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy demanded that the Centre immediately enhance the Kharif targets as the State is expected to receive a bumper paddy production of nearly 1.3 crore tonnes, due to cultivation in about 62.13 lakh acres. “The Centre should give in writing that the entire paddy produced in the State will be procured as assured by the Union Minister in the Parliament. We are ready to supply entire Vaanakalam crop as raw rice. However, we want an assurance in writing in view of the bitter experiences with the Centre,” he said.
Niranjan Reddy made it clear that the Ministers and MPs’ delegation was not in Delhi for politics and were only concerned about their farmers. It is wrong on part of the Centre to keep us waiting as it involves farmers’ issues, he asserted. “All that we request is that the Centre take into cognizance the grave situation and farmers’ issue in the State as well as react swiftly,” he said.
He ridiculed the allegations by Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy on the issue and stated that the latter was either getting confused or was trying to confuse people. “The parboiled rice stocks from last Yasangi season are yet to be lifted by the Union government, while new procurement targets are being set for upcoming Yasangi. We are talking about neither as we are here to seek clarification about the ongoing Vaanakalam procurement,” he asserted.
The Minister reiterated that the State government fulfilled its responsibility by procuring the paddy from farmers and supplied it to the millers. Now, it was the responsibility of the Centre to arrange for rakes, godown space and lift the stocks. As against Telangana’s rice milling capacity of 10 lakh tonnes per month, the FCI authorities are lifting only 4-5 lakh tonnes from the State.
Ministers V Prashanth Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, G Jagadish Reddy, and Errabelli Dayakar Rao along with TRS floor leaders K Keshava Rao and Nama Nageswara Rao and others were present.
Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday. Click the link to subscribe.
Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .
