The apathy of the Congress government towards paddy procurement has led to widespread losses for farmers across Telangana. Due to delay in the procurement, the paddy is getting soaked in untimely rains, causing distress to the farming community.
With an estimated 75.40 lakh tonnes of paddy expected this season, the government established 7,151 procurement centers. However, after one and a half months, operations have yet to commence in 2,241 centers, revealing a stark inefficiency in the system. Only 27 lakh tonnes have been bought so far, less than half the anticipated amount. Usually, the procurement process gets completed by this time every year.
Despite the urgency of issuing timely directives and overseeing operations, the Civil Supplies Minister, Uttam Kumar Reddy, remains conspicuously absent, failing to address the challenges. The Congress government’s failure in paddy purchase has sparked widespread criticism, with farmers hitting the streets demanding the purchase of their produce.