Hyderabad: Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy has asked officials to speed up the process of paddy procurement across Telangana.
He made these remarks while addressing the Cabinet Sub-Committee on paddy procurement on Friday evening. Several key figures attended the meeting, including Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Ministers Tummala Nageshwar Rao, Sridhar Babu, and Ponnam Prabhakar, along with senior officials and representatives from the milling industry.
During the meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed satisfaction with the current procurement efforts in most districts. However, he pointed out that in some areas, the process needs to be faster. He instructed the Civil Supplies Commissioner and other department officials to move paddy to temporary storage locations if millers are not cooperating. The state has arranged 30 lakh metric tonnes of godown space for this purpose. He assured that the government would cover any extra costs involved in storing paddy temporarily and then sending it for milling. His main concern was to ensure that no farmer in the state faces any inconvenience.
He also directed officials to address any complaints or issues quickly. Telangana is expected to achieve a record yield of nearly 150 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this year. Uttam Kumar Reddy noted that this makes the current procurement process one of the largest in scale and volume in the state’s history. Additionally, he announced that all farmers would receive a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for fine paddy.
The Minister stressed that the next 10-15 days are especially important. He emphasized that farmers should not face any difficulties during this period. The government is prepared to cover additional expenses if needed to make sure the procurement process runs smoothly. He also urged officials to resolve any disagreements with millers quickly, ensuring that farmers receive their payments without delay.
