Union Minister for Tourism, Culture & North East States Development G. Kishan Reddy urged the State government to expedite paddy procurement for the season as another 14.25 lakh metric tonnes are yet to be procured with 30.50 lakh MTs done till date.
“We have already extended the date till December 31 and if necessary, provide more time so that the paddy reaches the Food Corporation of India (FCI) centres here,” he said, on Sunday.
“Instead of rushing his ministers to New Delhi and abusing the Centre day in and out, it will be better if Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao focuses on procurement for the season. The government here has signed an agreement for procurement of 27 lakh MTs and this was enhanced to 44.75 lakh MTs., including raw rice as well as boiled rice, on its request,” he told a press conference at the party office.
The Minister said the Centre has not yet decided any procurement targets for the next agriculture season and it will be taken up between April-June, therefore, there is no point in taking up cudgels against the Centre based on “false assumptions” as there will be no winners in this attritional war, but farmers will suffer as a result, he said.
“The problem is with the boiled rice and FCI has stocks up 20 lakh MTs. Not a single family in Telangana consumes this variety, and other States like Kerala and West Bengal have become self-sufficient, but we are ready to assist the government in finding a solution and in crop diversification. Let Mr. Rao call for a meeting of political parties and farmers organisations," he maintained.
Mr. Reddy said the rice research institute here is working on a new variety seed which germinates faster and gives more yield. Technology upgrade of the rice mills too is necessary. "Is the TRS government ready with necessary infrastructure if raw rice is grown everywhere?," he questioned.
The Chief Minister has begun to target the Centre as soon as his party faced a historic defeat in Huzurabad. Unable to digest this development, MR. Rao has been resorting to a vicious propaganda war against the BJP government at the Centre, not even sparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I have never seen a Chief Minister speaking against the Centre in such terms,” he said.
