Procure paddy or quit as CM: Etala tells KCR

HYDERABAD: BJP MLA Etala Rajendar on Friday asked Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao to step down from his post if his government was not able to procure paddy produced in Telangana. He said if the state government was broke and did not have funds for such an intervention, he could discuss the financial health of the state with the Central government for finding a way out.

Rajendar said all it took to solve the problem of millers purchasing paddy during the current rabi crop for the state government was to offer some subsidy and allow a higher rate for broken rice as sought by millers. It would cost the Telangana government some Rs 600 crore to Rs 1000 crore, he said.

The BJP MLA said, “The Chief Minister says Telangana is rich. If it is, then finding the money needed to buy the rice from millers should not be a problem, as FCI is willing to purchase milled raw rice from the state. If he finds that the state has no money to ensure paddy grown by state farmers is bought, then he can always admit that the state is actually poor.”

He said the CM claimed that his government was spending some Rs 30,000 crore for farmers. “If this is indeed the case, then he should be able to find the money needed to ensure paddy is procured from farmers.”