Telangana: Amid paddy row, multiple grain purchasing centers set up

Hyderabad: A paddy purchasing center was inaugurated at Cherlapally village in Karimnagar district as per the state chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s (KCR) directive.

Keeping in mind the recent upheaval between the centre and state on the procurement of paddy produced by farmers in Telangana, KCR aims to buy every grain harvested by the farmer.

Both the TRS and the BJP have been at loggerheads over the procurement of paddy during the 2022 Rabi season.

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KCR announced that 236 paddy procurement centers would be set up across all villages, and 1.70 lakh units worth of paddy is expected to be procured by the state.

“A four-member committee headed by chief secretary Somesh Kumar will study how to minimize the loss to the state exchequer due to this decision. Every single grain will be procured with a minimum loss. If need be, will set up more such centres,” he said.

The Centre had made it categorical that it was not possible to procure the entire paddy stock from Telangana in Rabi as was being demanded by the state government.

A four-member Telangana ministerial delegation met with the Union minister for food and public distribution, Piyush Goyal, in Delhi. Goyal reminded them of the state government’s agreement with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in 2021, which stated that par-boiled rice or paddy would no longer be supplied starting in rabi 2022.

The state staged multiple protests against the center’s decision. KCR then urged the farmers to not sell their crops for a reduced price.

“We will buy your crop for the Minimum Support Price of Rs 1960 and the money will be deposited into your accounts. Just because this useless central government doesn’t help, doesn’t mean you will be wasted,” he said.

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