According to media reports, the Central Government has rejected the proposal of purchasing paddy from Telangana farmers during the current season of Rabi crops. However, the state government, following the rejection of the center has decided to buy the paddy from the local farmers.
The decision was taken by the cabinet of state during a meeting presided over by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who led a protest in Delhi on Monday demanding that the Centre buy the entire rice harvest.
The decision has been made in the best interests of growers, according to KCR, as the Chief Minister is affectionately known. Purchasing centers will open in all communities starting Wednesday.
The government will pay Rs 1,960 for every quintal of paddy. The funds will be credited to farmers' bank accounts immediately.
Farmers were prompted to not sell their paddy for less than the Minimum Support Price (MSP), according to KCR. He pledged to farmers that the state government will indeed buy every grain, even if it meant losing Rs 3,000 to Rs 3,500 crore.
Loses Due to High Temperature
The CM demanded the Centre compensate the state for 37% of Rabi season losses, citing the Centre's constitutional mandate to safeguard the country's food security.
He further stated that due to the high temperatures during the Rabi season, the percentage of damaged rice is going to be greater. As, during the Kharif season, one quintal of paddy yields 67 kg of rice whereas, during the Rabi season, only 34 to 35 kg of rice is produced.
A four-person committee led by the Chief Secretary will look into solutions to minimize the harm inflicted due to the rice brokerage.
The Chief Minister slammed the Centre for refusing to acquire Telangana paddy. He said that when a ministerial committee visited with him to request paddy, Union Food Minister Piyush Goyal insulted the people of Telangana.
He claimed that, even though the government lacked funds of Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 3,500 crore to purchase paddy, it allowed fraudsters to steal crores of rupees from public sector banks and flee the country while waiving another Rs 10.5 lakh crore to big corporations.
