State govt takes a U-turn on paddy issue, decides to purchase it

Hyderabad: The State government on Tuesday took a U-turn on paddy procurement and announced that it will procure the paddy produced in the Yasangi season. The decision was taken during the State Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. Addressing the media at Pragathi Bhavan after the Cabinet meeting, the CM KCR announced that the Cabinet has decided to procure every grain of paddy. He said that a four-member committee with Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, Irrigation Secretary and Agriculture Secretary. He said that the Committee will look into all aspects and then report to the government. The government will buy the paddy at the lowest loss and the paddy should get disposed.

KCR didn't leave a chance to target the BJP leaders in the State and at the Centre. He said that a few leaders of the BJP was asking people to produce paddy assuring that the Centre would buy it but at last were numb on the issue. He said that the Yasangi produce will be purchased by the government within a few days and the orders will be passed on the same to the IKP centers in the State.

It is to mention here that CM KCR had given a deadline to the Centre on paddy procurement till Tuesday afternoon and later the State government will take a step on the issue. The State Cabinet meeting was held around 2 PM and lasted for over three to four hours. Though the Cabinet took many decisions during the meeting but the paddy procurement issue and revoke of G.O 111 were something to talk about.

The TRS government was demanding the Centre purchase the paddy from the State and did everything they can to mount pressure on the Centre. The government also decided to hold a series of protests to corner the Central government on the issue.