Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation (TSCSC) has decided to procure 50 lakh tonnes of paddy this kharif season against 40.41 lakh tonnes procured in the last kharif.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the corporation with rice millers attended by Chairman M. Srinivas Reddy and Civil Supplies Commissioner Dr. Akun Sabharwal here on Monday.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Reddy said the production of paddy is increasing constantly following several farmer welfare and development measures initiated by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Implementation of investment support scheme (Rythu Bandhu), execution of irrigation projects, restoration of minor irrigation tanks, free supply of 24x7 power to agriculture and other steps are helping in increase of paddy cultivation, Mr. Reddy said. He noted that the TSCSC had procured 77 lakh tonnes of paddy during the kharif and rabi seasons last year and was behind only Punjab now.
Paddy has been cultivated in about 12.58 lakh hectares so far this kharif season in Telangana against 10.33 lakh hectares cultivated during the last kharif. Speaking to the rice millers, he sought their cooperation during the procurement season. He told them that the government will not compromise on the quality of superfine rice being procured from the millers for supplying it to welfare hostels and mid-day meal scheme. About 1.2 lakh tonnes of superfine rice is being procured from the millers for the purpose, he stated. He said that poor quality of rice has come to the government notice during the surprise checks conducted by the quality control and vigilance teams. Even the students and headmasters also complained about the quality of rice being supplied at some places, he noted, and said the district civil supplies officers and district managers of TSCSC were told to examine the quality of cooked rice frequently.
Problem of gunny bags
Commissioner Dr. Sabharwal said 12 crore gunny bags are required for procurement of 50 lakh paddy this season. He asked the rice millers to return the gunny bags in which paddy was supplied to them during the last procurement season.
Further, he stated that TSCSC has rice stocks required for public distribution scheme till 2020 and the corporation would take only 12 lakh tonnes of rice from the millers this kharif season. They had to supply the remaining rice to the Food Corporation of India as boiled and customed milled rice, he stated.
Transparency would be ensured in allocation of paddy to millers this season based on their performance last year, Dr. Sabharwal said.
