KTR warns of agitation over delay in paddy procurement

BRS working president KT Rama Rao warned of a statewide agitation if the Telangana government fails to start paddy procurement immediately. He accused the government of delaying purchases and neglecting farmers despite promises of support and bonuses.

Rajanna-Sircilla: Blaming the State government for not commencing paddy procurement so far, the BRS working president KT Rama Rao warned of waging an agitation at all paddy procurement centres across the State if the government failed to start the procurement process immediately. Rama Rao visited a paddy procurement centre in Baddenapalli of Thangallapalli mandal on Saturday. Interacting with farmers, the BRS leader enquired about their problems.

Speaking on the occasion, Rama Rao found fault with the State government for not purchasing a single grain so far though the farmers were bringing the crop to centres during the last one month. The government was deliberately avoiding procurement since, besides the minimum support price, Rs 500 bonus has to be paid per quintal of paddy, he alleged. So far, not even 1,000 tonnes of paddy was purchased in the district.

---

Stating that the establishment of procurement centres was not done properly so far, the BRS leader questioned who would purchase the crop if the allocation of rice mills was not done and who would weigh the crop. In order to benefit middlemen, the government was neglecting farmers, he alleged.

Rama Rao demanded that the government start the procurement process immediately by establishing weigh machines and allocating rice mills. Besides Rs 2,350 minimum support price, Rs 500 bonus should be provided to farmers. There was a possibility of unseasonal rains due to the El Nino effect. Paddy would be soaked in rainwater if the procurement process was not started. Farmers were trying to protect the crop by covering their produce with tarpaulins.

So, the government should start procurement immediately. Otherwise, the BRS would wage a Statewide agitation by mobilising all the farmers across the State, Rama Rao warned. The Congress government, which claims to be a farmers’ friendly government, was least bothered about the problems of the farming community.

The condition of farmers in the Congress regime was pathetic as they were not getting Rythu Bandhu, adequate power supply and paddy procurement properly. Rahul Gandhi’s promise to give Rythu Bandhu to tenant farmers on par with landowners has not materialised so far. The promise to provide Rs 1,000 to agricultural labourers has also not been implemented.

Farmers never faced such a pathetic situation after the formation of Telangana State. Rama Rao asked farmers to wait for two years. After two years, the BRS would come to power and take steps to protect farmers.