KTR asks Centre to reconsider its stand on yasangi paddy
Minister KT Rama Rao consoling the family members of students, who drowned in Manair check dam, in Sircilla on Wednesday
Sircilla: IT Minister KT Rama Rao demanded the Central government to reconsider its decision of not purchasing paddy produced during yasangi season in Telangana. Stating that the TRS leaders and Ministers will stage a dharna at Indira Park in Hyderabad on Thursday on behalf of the State government to put pressure on the Centre, he said that the State opposes the Central policy of not wanting Telangana grain but needs its money.
Addressing a media conference at MLA camp office here on Wednesday, the Minister said the government will buy vanakalam paddy completely. 52,000 metric tonnes of paddy was already bought in the district and another 3 lakh tonnes of paddy was yet to be procured, he informed.
He instructed the authorities to procure paddy damaged due to recent rains. The State government has been procuring paddy by setting up around 4,743 grain purchasing centres across the state, Rama Rao said.
According to the constitution, the Centre should be the backbone of the State in procuring grain. But its not assisting in providing agricultural facilities in the State, he complained.
Minister KTR further stated that the Centre was adopting double standards. If the farmers believe in local BJP's leaders' false campaign, they would incur losses. The Centre should give in writing that it would buy the yasangi crop, he demanded. Otherwise, BJP State president Bandi Sanjay Kumar should issue a public apology to farmers, Rama Rao said and asked the farmers to trust Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and not get fooled by believing the BJP leaders.
Referring to the drowning of students in Manair check dam at Sircilla, the Minister said he had ordered the authorities to prevent such accidents from happening in future. The authorities were told to put up warning boards at the scene of the accident. He also suggested parents to tell their children to be careful when going to water bodies. Minister KTR visited the families of the deceased students and consoled them.