Telangana BJP has, on Wednesday, demanded that the government expedite paddy procurement on a warfooting considering that paddy had started to reach the procurement centres one-and-half months ago.
“About 82 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured so far and another 14 lakh tonnes is to be done to complete the government’s own target of 96 lakh tonnes in this Rabi season. Paddy at the procurement centres is yet to be shifted to mills and godowns as there is a danger of the crop getting soaked in the monsoon which has already arrived,” cautioned senior leader G. Narayana Reddy.
Farmers have been resorting to extreme acts of burning paddy bags due to the slow procurement in areas of Medak, Rangareddy and Nalgonda. Also, there was a shortage of labour, transport and gunny bags to compound the problem. “The government announced to procure entire paddy crop but has failed to arrange infrastructure and logistic facilities at the procurement centres with 2,715 of the 6,969 centres shut while payment arrears has reached ₹5,000 crore,” he added in a press release.
