Hyderabad: Follow Covid protocols strictly at paddy centres

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy asked the officials to ensure that Covid protocols were strictly adhered to at all paddy procurement centres.

Interacting with the officials and people's representatives through teleconference here on Friday, he said that so far 3,028 procurement centres have been established and more centres will be operationalised as the procurement activity picks up.

The officials were asked to strictly ensure that only 40.7 kg paddy is weighed per bag at the time of procurement so that farmers are not at loss.

The Minister also told the officials to be cordial with the farmers, who might face one or other issue during agriculture activity.

He asked village sarpanches, ZPTCs, MPTCs, MPPs and presidents of Rythu Bandhu Samithi to visit paddy procurement centres every day, which will help to take stock of other problems being faced by farmers.

Especially, the officials were asked to take steps so that paddy brought to the centres would not be exposed to unseasonal rains and keep tarpaulins for the same. That apart, the procured paddy should be exported from the centre regularly.

People's representatives were told to explain to the farmers the rules notified by the State government at the centres.

Niranjan Reddy directed District Rural Development Authority (DRDA), Self-Help Groups, and Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies and Civil Supplies Department to work in coordination during paddy procurement.

That apart, they were also asked to create awareness among farmers not to burn the stubble after harvesting the paddy.