Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Sunday instructed Civil Supplies Department officials to monitor paddy export from Krishna district. He also directed Joint Collector J. Murali to locate the places where paddy was being sent.
Addressing a review meeting on paddy procurement here, Mr. Rao said 19.77 lakh tonnes were exported by 65 companies from the Kakinada port in 2013-14, and 13.71 lakh tonnes up to October 10 this year. It is imperative that the movement of paddy should be tracked to ensure that the levy requirements are fulfilled, he said.
The Minister directed officials to ensure that paddy procurement centres functioned for 120 days in a year and take necessary steps to prevent diversion of stocks en route the designated warehouses. Stringent action will be taken against those buying paddy at prices less than the minimum support price, he warned.
Of the 234 procurement centres set up so far, only 26 are operational. Mr. Rao called for steps to get the remaining centres working.
CottonThe Minister said Krishna district stood first in the State in purchase of cotton, with 12 lakh quintals fetching Rs. 480 crore. The Sirpur Paper Mills Limited cleared its dues to Subabul farmers amounting to Rs 1.50 crore, while the government has worked out a new policy that helps them fetch better returns on their crops.
Machilipatnam MP Konakalla Narayana, Consumers Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies Commissioner B. Rajasekhar, Joint Director of Marketing K. Srinivasa Rao and Police Commissioner A.B. Venkateswara Rao were present.
