Telangana govt to procure entire paddy, cotton cultivated this rainy season: CM

Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has made it clear that the state government itself would purchase the paddy and cotton cultivated in this rainy season.

The CM has instructed the officials concerned to purchase the entire Paddy in the state by setting up 6,000 purchasing centres and ensure that every grain of Paddy is purchased and farmers are not put in any problem on the matter. The CM reiterated that the government aims to stand by farmers at every stage from extending financial assistance for crop investment to purchasing the produce.

The CM held a high-level review meeting here at Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday on issue pertaining to purchase of the rainy season crops.

The CM said that in the Telangana crops are cultivated at a record level in 134.87 lakh acres. Of this, paddy was cultivated in 52.77 lakh acres, Cotton in 60.36 lakh acres and Red Gram in 10.78 lakh acres.

He said paddy would be procured completely through IKP centres, Cooperative Societies, marketing department. The CM also urged farmers not to go in for any distress sale. He said if the Paddy is with below 17 per cent moisture, the government would give Rs 1,888 per Quintal for A grade variety, Rs 1,868 per Quintal for the B grade variety as the Minimum Support Price.

The CM also urged farmers to bring in dried Paddy to get the MSP and not to bring paddy with more moisture, which may create problems. The CM said guidelines regarding the purchase of Paddy would be released in a day or two and agriculture, marketing and Civil Supplies department would work in coordination on the matter.

The CM said efforts are on to procure Cotton through Cotton Corporation of India. Continuous discussions are taking place with the CCI in this regard. The CM also instructed the officials to clear any doubts the farmers may express through the Call Centres.

In the meeting Ministers S Niranjan Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, Rythu Bandhu State President Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLA C Laxmareddy, Government's Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Mareddy Srinivas Reddy, TESCOB Chairman Konduru Ravindra Rao, Pedapalli ZP Chairman Putta Madhu, CM Secretary Smita Sabharwal, Agriculture Secretary Janardhan Reddy, Civil Supplies Commissioner Anil Kumar, Marketing Director Lakshmibai and others participated.