Kishan Reddy fumbles on paddy procurement claims
Hyderabad: In a futile attempt to blame Telangana government over delay in paddy procurement, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy fumbled over establishing facts and indirectly admitted the Centre’s failure in lifting the rice stocks from the State. He fumbled several times despite help from the BJP State leaders at a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday.
Proving the argument of the Ministers and TRS MLAs from the State, Kishan Reddy exposed his lack of knowledge on paddy cultivation and related issues.
The Union Minister who questioned the State government for giving an undertaking not to supply parboiled rice from next Yasangi, later admitted that the Centre had repeatedly told the State government that it would not procure parboiled rice which was not being consumed by many in the country. He went on to add that the Central officials held multiple meetings with the State officials and conveyed the message clearly following which the State government gave an undertaking that it would not supply parboiled rice.
“How could the State government give it in writing that it would not supply raw (it’s parboiled) rice. We have parboiled rice stocks for last four years (lasting for next four years),” Kishan said. While stating that the Telangana government has not spent a single rupee on paddy procurement, he said the Centre spent Rs 3,400 crore in 2014 for paddy procurement which had increased up to Rs 26,600 crore in 2021. However, he fumbled again stating that the ‘State government’ (instead of the Centre) was spending such huge amounts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power.
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