Hyderabad: Former minister T Harish Rao has alleged that the state government is quietly reducing its paddy procurement target from 90 lakh metric tonnes to 75 lakh metric tonnes. He warned that if the government continues on this path, it may soon declare that procurement has been completed while thousands of farmers are still waiting to sell their produce.
Rao questioned how the government could claim that Telangana had produced a record 1.41 crore metric tonnes of paddy while limiting procurement to just 75 lakh metric tonnes. “The government claims it will purchase every grain produced by farmers. If that is true, why has it reduced its own procurement target?” he asked in a statement on Friday.
He reminded the government that during the 2020-21 Yasangi season, the BRS government had procured 92.39 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, setting a new record in the country’s history. The deputy floor leader of the party alleged that the Congress government has completely failed in paddy procurement and is now resorting to false propaganda to cover up its failures and the hardships faced by farmers.
“While farmers are taking to the streets in protest, the government continues to claim that procurement is progressing smoothly. This is nothing short of shameful,” he said.
Harish Rao asked whether the deaths of farmers near paddy heaps were false, whether farmers waiting for days at procurement centres was false, whether losses suffered due to rain-soaked paddy were false, whether delays in procurement were false, and whether delayed payments that pushed farmers into debt were false. He said speeches delivered from air-conditioned rooms in Hyderabad would not solve farmers’ problems.
“The government should visit procurement centres, witness the difficulties being faced by farmers firsthand, and wipe their tears instead of making hollow claims,” he said.
On behalf of the BRS party, Harish Rao demanded that the government stop focusing on arbitrary procurement targets and instead ensure speedy procurement operations. He urged the government to purchase every grain brought by farmers and fulfil its commitment to the farming community.
