Hyderabad, Nov 28, : After Telangana’s demands regarding paddy procurement were rejected by the Centre, Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao called a meeting for the state Cabinet to discuss the future course of action. The meeting will take place at Pragati Bhavan (the official residence of Chief Minister) at 2 p.m.to discuss the paddy procurement problem and make a decision about the crops for the upcoming Rabi season.
This meeting is significant because the Centre turned down the state’s request to reveal the paddy procurement targets for the entire period, and also to increase the procurement during the ongoing Kharif seasons.
The Centre has ruled out the procurement of parboiled rice in the Rabi season.The Cabinet will discuss the strategy that can be used to persuade farmers to grow alternate crops.
S.Niranjan Reddy, the state irrigation minister, stated that the Centre did not provide any information on the amount of paddy that would be purchased during Kharif after meeting with Piyush Goyal, Union Food and Public Distribution Minister.
He pointed out that the Food Corporation of India had promised the state that 45 million tonnes of paddy would be procured.However, he said that the Centre was now avoiding the issue.
The Centre was requested by the state to improve procurement.Opposition members are already shaming the state government for slow paddy procurement from farmers.
Farmers protested at certain places in the state because of this situation.
Goyal made it clear during the meeting with a delegation consisting of state ministers, led by Niranjan Reddy that the Centre will not purchase parboiled rice from the State during Rabi.
Niranjan Reddy called the Centre’s stand unjustifiable.He stated that they were returning disappointed from their national capital.
The demand by the state government for procurement targets for the two crops throughout the year was also rejected by the Central minister, who stated that this was impossible.
Last week, the Chief Minister led a Hyderabad dharna to demand that the Centre lift all paddy produced in the State.
He also wrote letters to Prime Minister NarendraModi and Union Home Minister Amit Sharma about the issue.
In light of the Centre’s decision not to purchase parboiled rice from the state, the Cabinet meeting will likely discuss Rabi crops.
Farmers will be advised by the government to choose alternate crops.
Bandi Sanjay, the chief of state BJP, urged farmers to continue with paddy cultivation and assured them that he would pressurize the government to procure alternate crops.
The TRS ruling party took strong exception to the stance of the BJP leader and brought it to Goyal’s attention.
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