TRS to intensify stir against Centre over paddy procurement

Hyderabad: Lashing out at the BJP State leaders for yet again going back on their promises on paddy procurement, Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy warned that if the Union government does not procure paddy within a week, the BJP leaders will not be able to move around in the State. He stated that the TRS will intensify its protests demanding the Centre to procure paddy from the State.

Reminding that Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy and BJP State president Bandi Sanjay had encouraged farmers to cultivate paddy during Yasangi, Rajeshwar Reddy slammed that the Centre was now creating hurdles in procurement. Due to non-procurement of paddy by the union government, he said stock amounting to over 90 lakh tonnes of paddy were piling up in the mills.

"For nearly two months, operations in about 3,300 rice mills are affected. As a result, labourers are facing inconvenience due to loss of livelihood," he said.

Tearing into the BJP leaders, the Samithi chairman said citing huge demand for paddy, union Food Minister Piyush Goyal had recently asked the States to encourage paddy. However, while Telangana government had procured 50 lakh tonnes paddy at an expenditure of Rs 20,000 crore, the Centre did not release a paise to the State in this regard.

"Kishan Reddy should prevail upon his Cabinet colleague Piyush Goyal and ensure that the Centre

procures paddy from Telangana as the BJP leaders promised to the farmers," he added.