TSCSC initiates steps to procure damaged paddy from farmers

Hyderabad: A day after Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao assured rain-farmers of the government's full support and assistance by buying damaged paddy stocks, the state civil supply corporation has initiated steps to purchase rain-soaked paddy from farmers at the minimum support price (MSP).

TS Civil Supplies Corporation (TSCSC) chairman Sardar Ravinder Singh on Wednesday held a review meeting with officials on the arrangements to be made in market yards to procure paddy stocks that were damaged due to recent unseasonal rains. Instructions were issued to officials not to insist on moisture content norms during procurement. The meeting also discussed the steps to be taken on a war-footing to save paddy stocks from further damage due to rains in the coming days with the weather officials predicting more rains for the next few days. It was decided to supply adequate tarpaulin covers to all the market yards to save paddy stocks lying in market yards for procurement.

Instructions were issued to rice millers to transport rice stocks from market yards to rice mills soon after procurement and also unload the stocks from trucks at rice mills immediately as delay in unloading for days together led to stocks soaked in rain. Ravinder Singh informed that the corporation has procured 8.30 lakh tonnes of paddy worth ₹ 1,710 crore from farmers so far and the procurement process will be expedited by setting up 7,000 centres across the state to complete the entire process by this month-end.

He urged the farmers to contact toll-free numbers 1967 or 180042500333 in case of any difficulties at procurement centres or lodge complaints if any on the procurement process.