WARANGAL: Former Congress MP Ponnam Prabhakar has accused civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar of deceiving farmers by giving them wrong information pertaining to purchase of food grains through procurement centres across the state.
In a statement released in Karimnagar district on Sunday, Prabhakar recalled the minister informing that the state government has purchased five lakh metric tonnes of food grains across the state. But, as per the official website of civil supplies department, the government procured only 4.81 lakh metric tonnes as on April 27.
In addition, the former MP said, the government has not even started purchasing food grains in 11 districts. Further, in six districts, government procured below one metric tonne of food grains. In eight districts, it procured below 2,000 metric tonnes. In Karimnagar district, which Kamalakar represents, the government procured only 2,267 metric tonnes.
Prabhakar said Karimnagar district alone produces around four lakh tonnes of food grains. Even after opening purchasing centres one month ago, state government has procured only 2,267 metric tonnes. “Isn’t this negligence of minister concerned Kamalakar, who represents Karimnagar district,” the former MP asked.
He pointed out that because of the delay in procurement of food grains, unsold produce remaining with farmers has got damaged in the unexpected heavy rains, causing a huge loss.
Prabhakar said the minister should stop deceiving farmers with false statements. He must instead exert pressure on the state government to take immediate steps for purchasing food grains without any restrictions, apart from announcing compensation of ₹25,000 per acre for farmers whose crops have been damaged due to heavy rains.
