State govt owes 12 crore to IKP centres in Nizamabad

Nizamabad: The government was indebted crores of rupees in the form of commission and labour charges to Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP) for the grains purchased from Nizamabad district for four seasons.

The IKP centers in the district have to get Rs 12 crore from the government as purchase commission and also Rs 160 lakhs from the government towards labour charges for carrying grain bags at these centres.

The government pays Rs 32.50 per quintal for IKC centres that procure agricultural produce and will pay Rs 5.12 per quintal to labourers for loading grains. Civil Supplies Corporation failed to release this amount for two Kharif and two Rabi seasons.

Again, procurement of agricultural products will commence in one or two months in this Kharif season. As many as 283 IKP centers will start procuring the yield.

The IKP staff alleged that they procure grains and not receiving commission from the government. Similarly, about 3,896 labourers, who work at IKP purchasing centres, lamented that old wages are still due to them and fresh season is starting again. The workers said they depend on their daily earnings.

A labourer from Dubbaka village, Dharpalli mandal, Gangadhar decried that how can they live if wages are not paid. They didn't get the labour charges for the last three seasons, he added. Chennaiah, a labourer from Pothangal village, Rudrur mandal, said that they have to work under hot sun and rains without any wages. Another labourer Limbadri lamented that they are visiting the IKP centre daily to get their wages but in vain.

When The Hans India reporter contacted Civil Supplies Corporation District Manager Abhishek Singh, the officer said that the Central government has raised an objection regarding labour charges, hence the delay.

The government had released Rs 70 lakh of the total Rs 12 crore commission to IKP centres in the first week of September and assured to release the balance amount soon, he added. This is the first time the commission amount was delayed since it started buying with IKP centres, said IKP village associations and labourers.