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Hyderabad, October 15 (IANS) State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana has achieved all-time high paddy production of 148.03 lakh tonnes during the Kharif season.
This is claimed to be the highest paddy production by any state in the country.
The state will also create a record in paddy procurement, he said, adding the government is planning to spend Rs 23,000 crore for the purpose. He announced that farmers will be paid within 48 hours of registration.
He said the state achieved record production due to the policies adopted towards agriculture and farmers by the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka.
On Wednesday, the Minister held a video conference with collectors from Dr. BR Ambedkar Secretariat regarding paddy procurement.
State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Agriculture Secretary Surendra Mohan, Transport Commissioner Raghunandan Rao, Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra and others participated.
Uttam Kumar Reddy directed the collectors to ensure smooth process of procurement so that farmers do not face any difficulty at the procurement centres.
He said that apart from setting a record in the history of agriculture with the yield of 148.03 lakh tonnes, the target of purchasing 80 lakh tonnes of paddy will also be a record.
The minister asked the officials to remain alert to make the biggest procurement process in the country a success.
He said that the state government has decided to spend Rs 22,000 to 23,000 crore to purchase 80 lakh tonnes of food grains. He informed that 40 lakh tonnes of fine variety and 40 lakh tonnes of coarse variety will be purchased.
A total of 8,342 paddy procurement centers have been set up across the state to procure paddy grown in a total area of 66.8 lakh acres. 4,259 centers have been established through primary agricultural cooperatives, 3,517 through IKP centers and 566 through other organizations.
Collectors of the concerned district and Civil Supplies Department officials have been directed to coordinate and take steps to prepare complete infrastructure at the procurement centers so that farmers do not face any difficulty.
He ordered the officials to make complete transportation arrangements to transport the purchased paddy on time.
The minister said that payment will be made within 48 hours of entering the details of the purchased paddy.
Bonus will be paid to farmers along with support price.
–IANS
MS/UK