Telangana Kisan Congress, the farmers’ wing of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), chairman Anvesh Reddy Sunketa has alleged that there were large-scale irregularities in the paddy procurement done by the State government during the recent Yasangi season and demanded that the government order a probe into the corruption in procurement centre at rice mills.
In a statement issued on Monday, Mr. Anvesh Reddy said the farmers were exploited in the paddy procurement exercise as the number of bags (quantity) purchased from farmers were reduced without their knowledge in the track sheets and money was deducted beyond the agreed percentage of chaff and wastage. He alleged that chaff and wastage was deducted both at the procurement centre and after the stock was moved to rice mills.
Giving an example, Mr. Reddy said one farmer in Nizamabad district was paid ₹74,868 against the due amount of ₹82,281 after he agreed for wastage of 5 kg per quintal for his paddy produce of 44.84 quintals. Similarly, another farmer of Thimmapur in Jagtial district was paid for only 560 bags of paddy against 616 bags sold by him. In the first instance the farmer suffered a loss of ₹7,413 while in the second instance ₹18,000 was lost by the farmer.
The Kisan Congress chairman sought as to where did the money go for as the farmers concerned were supposed get the money for the recorded quantity of paddy sale. He demanded that the government order a probe into the corruption, take action against those responsible and pay the amount actually due to the farmers.
