Hyderabad: State Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has asked officials to ensure the smooth and efficient collection of paddy across Telangana. He stressed the importance of making sure everything runs flawlessly.
During a video conference with District Collectors, which was organized by Principal Secretary and Civil Supplies Commissioner DS Chauhan, the minister spoke about the need for careful planning. Large amounts of paddy are expected to start arriving at procurement centres soon. The paddy harvest this season is predicted to be around 150 lakh metric tonnes, worth Rs 30,000 crore. The state has set aside Rs 20,000 crore for the procurement process, with plans to arrange for more money if needed.
Minister Uttam also mentioned that the government is now asking millers to provide a bank guarantee before they can purchase the paddy. Millers with a clean record need to give a 10% guarantee, while those who have defaulted in the past must give a 20% guarantee.
Additionally, the Minister has given District Collectors the authority to make local decisions, as long as they keep the Civil Supplies Commissioner informed. To deal with any sudden issues, the state has built intermediary godowns with a storage capacity of up to 30 lakh metric tonnes. If there are delays, the District Collectors can store the paddy in godowns managed by the State Warehousing Corporation or agricultural marketing committees.
The minister also emphasized strict monitoring of borders to prevent paddy or rice from other states from entering Telangana. This is to ensure that the Rs 500 bonus goes to Telangana farmers alone.
Lastly, Uttam instructed officials to equip all Paddy Procurement Centres (PPCs) with the necessary infrastructure to protect crops from unseasonal rains. He assured that District Collectors have the power to take immediate action, and the government would reimburse any expenses later if required. The goal is to make sure farmers’ crops are not damaged by delays or bad weather.
