Hyderabad: Telangana Minister for Revenue and Housing Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Thursday, May 14, ordered officials to take strict action against anyone indulging in malpractice during paddy procurement in the state.
He was visiting the paddy procurement centre set up in Paleru, Khammam district, along with Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and District Collector Divakara.
Interacting with the farmers, the ministers asked them about problems faced during paddy procurement. They also enquired about issues being faced with the support price, transparency in weighing, availability of gunny bags, and implementation of transporting procured paddy to mills.
When farmers flagged a shortage of lorries for transporting the paddy, the ministers asked officials to make use of lorries and DCMs meant for other purposes.
Farmers also complained that millers were deducting up to 5-6 kg during weighing, claiming there was husk and dirt in the paddy. The ministers ordered strict action against such millers and even suggested seizure of their equipment.
Regarding complaints of lorries charging Rs 3-5 for transporting the paddy to mills, ministers said that legal action would be taken against such parties as well.
Srinivas Reddy asks farmers not to believe the ‘anti-farmer opposition’
Responding to criticisms from the Opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regarding delays in procurement, Srinivas Reddy claimed that this season, Telangana has produced the highest quantity of paddy in the country’s history, which is why inconveniences were arising here and there.
He said that clear instructions have been issued to officials to expedite the paddy procurement process and ensure no harassment of farmers.
Attacking the BRS, he said it was the previous government who has a history of “putting shackles on farmers’ hands, parading them on the streets, and putting them in jail.”
He asked farmers not to believe the words of the “anti-farmer opposition” and assured them that the Congress government was committed to procuring 85 lakh metric tons of paddy at Rs 22 thousand crore.
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