Suryapet: Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that state was poised to achieve record paddy out of over 150 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) in the Kharif season, and the government would procure every last grain.
For the first time the government would be paying a bonus of `500 per quintal on fine paddy, benefitting lakhs of farmers, he said at a public meeting in Suryapet. The government had set aside `20,000 crore to purchase paddy, he pointed out.
Additionally, fine rice would be distributed to ration cardholders from January to benefit 2.8 crore people.
IAS officers had been appointed to oversee the procurement process and infrastructure had been upgraded at the purchase centres.
Reddy urged the millers to support the state’s procurement efforts. He stated that the state government had increased milling charges by `40 for fine paddy and by `30 for coarse paddy.
Additionally, as part of reforms, a bank guarantee mechanism was introduced, requiring millers to provide a bank guarantee to procure paddy, which would be released once the government receives CMR rice.
Separately, at a review meeting, Uttam Kumar Reddy fumed at officials of the irrigation department over delay in completion of lift irrigation schemes (LIS) in Huzurnagar and Kodad Assembly constituencies.
At a review meeting with officials in Kodad on Monday, he directed officials to ensure completion of all the work before summer. He also called for expediting works related to Vellatur and Palakeedu LIS and Muktyala branch canal.
Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to increase the capacity of the Janpahad LIS and start work pertaining to Bette thanda LIS. He said that work on the Redlakunda LIS would begin soon.
He said that purchase of paddy would continue till every last grain was procured through 7,500 centres. The state government has allocated `20,000 crore for purchase of paddy, he added.
