Farmers with paddy produce (Image for representation)
Vijayawada: Farmers have urged the AP government to clear their dues in the paddy procurement, as more than two months are over since the last payment was made in April.
The state government procured nearly 12.64 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the rabi season at a cost of `2,763 crore from neary 1.32 lakh farmers at an MSP of `2,183 per quintal.
As the state government set up RBKs and started procuring paddy from farmers through them to avoid hardships to the farmers and curb corrupt practices, the farmers handed over their paddy at RBKs. Accordingly, a truck sheet will be generated, indicating the weight of the paddy collected from each farmer. Other details will also be found out like moisture content and any damage to the paddy.
Later, a miller will be allotted and the paddy will reach the miller directly without allowing any role of middlemen.
As per norms, within 21 days from the time of generation of truck sheet, the amount for the collected quantum of paddy has to be deposited in the bank account of the farmer. Some farmers were lucky to get their amounts remitted into the bank accounts while the unlucky farmers are upset over the delay.
These farmers say that if they have to take up cultivation again for the kharif season, they need the money to invest now. Some farmers who borrowed money from private money lenders are worried as the more the delay in getting the money for the procured paddy, the more the loss they face in terms of interest.
So is the case with tenant farmers who are facing trouble for want of payment of money from the government to their landlords.
A retired government servant who took up farming said, “We are earnestly appealing to the new government to clear our paddy procurement dues so that we can use that money for cultivation of crops in kharif season.”
According to an estimate, the state government cleared `1,000 crore while the remaining amount was yet to be paid to the farmers.’
Farmer Venkateswara Rao from Bheemanapalli of Uppalaguptam mandal in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district said, “I have stored my paddy raised during the rabi season while my fellow farmers gave it to the government and they are yet to get the money for their procured paddy. We want the government to clear the dues and provide us with fertilisers on subsidy basis.”
Moreover, a section of farmers are apprehensive of their dues being cleared immediately, given the precarious condition of state finances. Some of them mortgaged their gold to get money to start their farm works.
A farmer Basivi Reddy from Machavaram of Ambajipeta mandal in the BR Konaseema district said, “We want the state government to understand the plight of the farmers and release the dues so that we will resume cultivation again.”
Meanwhile, farmers have started raising crops for the kharif season. So far, they have taken up sowings in 1.59 lakh hectares as against the normal area of 32.50 lakh hectares in the state.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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