CM Revanth Emphasizes on Zero Tolerance in Paddy Procurement Wrongdoings
Hyderabad: Taking a serious view of reported irregularities in ongoing rabi paddy procurement at a few centres in the state, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday ordered suspension of agriculture market secretary. He also ordered that criminal cases be filed against four traders for purchasing paddy from farmers for a lesser price than the MSP (minimum support price) prescribed by the government at the Jangaon market yard.
In a post on social media platform 'X' on Thursday, the Chief Minister said the state government was committed to purchase paddy in market yards for MSP and would not tolerate officials who collude with private traders to it for prices below MSP, causing loss to farmers.
Revanth Reddy lauded the swift action initiated by Jangaon additional collector Rohit Singh, who ordered the suspension of the Jangaon agriculture market secretary for negligence and collusion with traders. He asked the officials across the state to be alert in paddy procurement and purchase at the market yards for MSP and strictly as per norms.
The state government has set a target to procure 75.40 lakh metric tonnes of paddy for rabi this year. Paddy purchases from March 25. The government has decided to open 7,149 paddy purchase centres across the state.
Of 18.85 crore gunny bags required for procurement, 14 crore bags have been kept ready. These are supposed to suffice for the purchase of 56 lakh metric tonnes of paddy. Efforts are underway to purchase the remaining required gunny bags.
