Wanaparthy: Singireddy asks babus to ensure farmers get MSP for paddy

Wanaparthy: Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy directed the officials of Marketing, Agriculture and Civil supplies to get ready to open the paddy procurement centres across the district and ensure that every farmer who comes with his produce in the market gets MSP. He asked the officials to ensure that the farmer sells his produce within 24 hours from the time he comes to the market.

Addressing a video conference, the Minister directed the district authorities to conduct farmers' awareness programmes and provide all necessary information with regard to paddy procurement.

Apart from setting up paddy procurement centres, the Minister also directed the officials to provide all necessary basic facilities like shelter, water and other necessary things. The Minister asked the officials to take immediate steps to open up all the paddy procurement centres within a week's time and ensure the procurement process goes on smoothly. The district authorities have also been directed to send updated procurement details to the Minister from time to time.

The Minister told the officials to keep a tab on the paddy that is coming from other States. He directed the Joint Collector to conduct everyday review and asked the officials to conduct surprise visits to market to take stock of the procurement process.

As per the directions of the government this time the paddy farmers will get Rs 1,770 per quintal of paddy. Wanaparthy Joint Collector Srinivas Reddy informed the Minister that around this time they have set a target of 87,000 metric tonnes of paddy through 29 procurement centres in Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy. "We have already set 29 procurement centres in the district. We are also having 8 lakh gunny backs ready to be distributed to the farmers," Srinivas Reddy said.

The JC also said to keep a check and curb any illegal paddy transportation from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana they have set up a check post at Sunnipenta.