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Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Ravula Sridhar Reddy on Saturday questioned the Telangana government's paddy procurement policy, alleging that despite claims of record procurement in the Rabi season, farmers continue to face delays in getting payments for their produce while also witnessing hardship at procurement centres.
Addressing the issue of paddy procurement in Telangana, Reddy criticised the state government over what he termed as a contradiction between its claims and the situation on the ground. "Making huge claims is not going to help. On one hand, you claim that you will purchase every last grain. But by reducing the target, how is this going to help farmers? The government needs to clarify this to them. Farmers are coming out on the streets, holding dharnas. This shows the actual picture on the ground," Reddy told ANI. The BRS leader said the state government has claimed to have procured 60 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the ongoing Rabi season, but questioned why the procurement target was reduced to 75 lakh metric tonnes from the earlier target of 90 lakh metric tonnes. "They have created a record by purchasing 60 lakh metric tons of paddy in this Rabi season. But isn't it a fact that they have reduced the target of purchase to 75 lakh metric tons, against the previous target of 90 lakh metric tons?" he said. He further questioned how the reduced procurement target would benefit farmers when the state itself has claimed a Rabi paddy production of 1.41 crore metric tonnes. Reddy claimed that farmers are being forced to wait for days at procurement centres and claimed that some have even died while waiting for their produce to be procured. He also claimed delays in payments to farmers. "On one hand, you claim that Telangana has produced 1 crore 41 lakh metric tons of paddy during this Rabi season. How will a target of 75 lakh metric tons help the farmers? Is it false that farmers are waiting at procurement centres for days? Is it false that while waiting at these centres, some farmers lost their lives? Is it false that payments are being delayed?" he said. Earlier on May 26, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders also launched a sharp attack on the Telangana government over alleged delays and mismanagement in paddy procurement, claiming that farmers across the state are facing severe hardship due to lack of preparedness and procurement bottlenecks. BJP MP Etela Rajender said Telangana, being a "rice bowl state," has witnessed poor planning by the government, alleging that authorities failed to assess the second crop output and did not convene an all-party meeting to brief farmers on procurement arrangements. Meanwhile, a BJP delegation led by State President N Ramchander Rao visited the Agriculture Collection Centre at Kulkacharla Market Yard on Monday. During the visit, the leaders interacted with local farmers who are facing severe operational difficulties. (ANI)
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