Ensure payment to farmers within 48 hours: JC

Peddapalli: Joint Collector Vanaja Devi ordered the officials concerned to pay minimum support price (MSP) to farmers within 48 hours after purchasing grains from them.She held a training programme to the officials of concerned departments on organising paddy procurement centres, at MPDO office in Peddapalli on Tuesday.

Later, the Joint Collector along with officials released a poster related to paddy procurement centres.Speaking on the occasion, Vanaja Devi said that the State government became a role model to the entire country by introducing online payments for purchasing food grains to prevent third party interference and to benefit the farmers present across the State.

The farmers must be paid MSP for the food grains they sell at procuring centres. The government fixed Rs 1,590 per quintal as the minimum support price for Grade A grains produced in Rabi season and about Rs 1,550 per quintal for normal grains. About 40 IKP and primary procurement centres were established for purchasing food grains from the farmers.

The JC ordered the officials to provide basic facilities along with gunny bags and to supply uninterrupted power. Keeping in view of summer season, she told to set up tents at procuring centres and to provide cool water and lassi to farmers.

The officials should transport the food grains that were purchased from the farmers to rice mills, allotted by the government and should maintain records. Necessary steps should be taken to pay amount to farmers within 48 hours, ordered the JC. District Civil Supply Officer Rehman, Civil Supply department District Manager Lakshminarayana, DCO Chandraprakash Reddy, Project Manager Sunitha and concerned officials were present.