AP govt. purchased food grains of worth Rs. 8600 Cr: Civil Supplies Commissioner Kona Sasidhar

Andhra Pradesh state Civil Supplies Commissioner Kona Sasidhar said the government was buying grain worth Rs 8,600 crore this year. He claimed that more grain purchases were made than in the past. Speaking to the media, he said, government is buying grain during the rabi season. "Kadapa and Kurnool have witnessed an unprecedented increase in purchases of grains among the 25 lakh 25 thousand metric tonnes grains purchased so far," he said.

On the other hand, he said that they were buying grains directly from farmers going to their farms thus avoiding the involvement of middlemen. He revealed that the government is making payment to farmers without delay through registration and purchase coupons to farmers in RBK.

"While Rs 3,900 crore is due from the centre, the centre has not even given the annual advance, however, we are releasing the pending Rs 300 crore," Shashidhar said. He said the grains would be procured by the end of July.