Should farmers sow paddy in the next Vanakalam season or not, Palla asks Government

BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy sought clarity from the Telangana government on paddy sowing following calls for crop diversification. He questioned procurement plans and accused the Congress of double standards on agriculture policy

Hyderabad: A day after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy advocated crop diversification, BRS MLA from Jangaon Palla Rajeshwar Reddy sought clarity from the Congress government over paddy sowing in the next season.

Apart from the Chief Minister, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao had also stressed the need to refrain from paddy cultivation, he said during Question Hour in the Assembly on Monday. “Considering these appeals, should farmers sow paddy in the next Vanakalam season or not?” Rajeshwar Reddy asked.

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He further reminded that the Chief Minister had stated that the Central Government would procure only 50 lakh metric tonnes and had directed the State to stop paddy cultivation. The State government had said that it procured 71 lakh metric tonnes of paddy last season. It should give clarity on whether it would procure paddy produced in the current Yasangi season, Rajeshwar Reddy demanded.

He also came down heavily on the Congress government for its double standards. In the past, when the BRS government advocated crop diversification, Congress leaders had found fault. In contrast, the same party is now stressing crop diversification, he pointed out.