Hyderabad: Paddy procurement for the Yasangi (Rabi) Marketing Season is progressing rapidly and efficiently, with the State government purchasing 38.5 lakh tonnes through more than 7,000 procurement centres as on Tuesday. This is 10 lakh tonnes more than last Yasangi season for the corresponding period. Around Rs 7,907 crore have been deposited into the bank accounts of 6.05 lakh farmers across the State as on date.
At a review meeting held at his chambers in the State Secretariat here, Civil Supplies Minister Gangula Kamalakar attributed the huge paddy procution to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao‘s pro-farmer policies. He alleged that despite lack of necessary support from the Centre, the State government was collecting the paddy at Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the benefit of farmers. “Paddy procurement has been completed in over 400 purchase centres which have been closed. An average of 1.5 lakh tonnes of paddy per day was acquired,” he said.
To ensure smooth operations, the Minister urged farmers to adhere to the minimum quality standards set by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). He stressed that it is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders, including the administration, to raise awareness among farmers on the issue.
Kamalakar assured that all necessary facilities have been arranged at the purchase centers to cater to the farmers’ needs. He directed the authorities to promptly address any issues encountered during paddy procurement and be vigilant in critical situations to prevent any hardships for farmers. He is scheduled to hold a video conference with all the District Collectors on Wednesday to discuss the issues pertaining to paddy procurement and expedite problem resolution.