Revanth Reddy warns Collectors over paddy and maize procurement delays

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy warned District Collectors against negligence in paddy and maize procurement as farmers across Telangana faced delays, shortages of gunny bags and transport facilities, and crop damage due to unseasonal rains. Officials were directed to take immediate corrective measures.

Hyderabad: Poor coordination among departments and the government’s weak control over the administration, besides failure to make adequate arrangements for procurement, have pushed paddy and maize farmers into distress.

Farmers have been staging protests over delays in procurement. The shortage of gunny bags and trucks to transport stocks to warehouses has worsened the situation.

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Many farmers are staying overnight at procurement centres to protect their produce. Unseasonal rains have added to their problems, with grain stocks getting soaked and damaged, leading to further losses.

Amid the growing difficulties faced by farmers, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy sought to hold District Collectors responsible for the crisis.

During a video conference with District Collectors and senior officials on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said Collectors must take immediate remedial measures after recognising the seriousness of the situation.

“Every official is expected to work with accountability. The government will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against District Collectors if negligence is found in service delivery,” Revanth Reddy said.

He said issues could be resolved quickly only if officials worked in a “mission mode”. Problems could be avoided if Collectors personally supervised procurement operations, he added.

Revanth Reddy said the ultimate responsibility for resolving procurement issues rested with the District Collectors. He warned that negligence in paddy and maize procurement would not be tolerated.

Officials were directed to ensure that farmers did not face difficulties at procurement centres. They were also instructed to conduct field visits and inspect procurement operations regularly.

The Chief Minister ordered immediate arrangements to address shortages of gunny bags and hamalis. He also directed officials to ensure that procured stocks were transported to warehouses without delay.

Revanth Reddy warned contractors against failing to provide enough trucks for transportation as agreed in their contracts. He said criminal proceedings could be initiated against those found negligent.

He instructed the Transport Commissioner to ensure the availability of trucks. In areas facing warehouse shortages, temporary storage facilities should be arranged based on local requirements, he said.

The Chief Minister suggested using Rythu Bazaars and function halls for storing procured stocks. He also directed District Collectors in major maize-producing areas to closely monitor procurement operations.

He also instructed officials to issue receipts immediately after stocks were loaded. This, he said, would help prevent irregularities in the name of weight deductions.

To protect grain stocks during unseasonal rains, the Chief Minister directed officials to provide tarpaulins to farmers. He also called for a permanent solution to prevent losses caused by unexpected weather conditions.

Revanth Reddy said a dedicated system should be developed to effectively share weather forecasts with farmers. He also directed that an officer be assigned to every IKP centre and rice mill to supervise operations.