CM's commitment on rice procurement

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 28. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, replying to a three-hour debate on farmers' problems in the Assembly tonight, gave a commitment to procure 20 lakh tonnes of rice by June-end, paying a minimum support price of Rs. 540 per quintal for all ``A'' grade varieties.

Out of this, one lakh tonnes would be purchased this month itself, nine lakh tonnes in April, eight lakh tonnes in May and the balance in June. The Congress floor leader, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, lodged his party's protest at this, saying Mr. Naidu was trying to show ``paradise in palm.'' The CPI-(M) leader, Mr. N. Narasimhaiah, followed suit.

The Chief Minister attributed the procurement problems in the State to the ``bumper crop'' this year, which was of the order of 120 lakh tonnes under kharif and rabi. Against a commitment to procure 55 lakh tonnes out of this, the FCI and other agencies lifted only 44 lakh tonnes.

The Chief Minister clarified that Rs. 347 crores was due to farmers from millers and arrangements were under way to clear this within the next few days. The delay was caused by non- passage of Appropriation Bill by Parliament due to which FCI was not able to draw funds from the Consolidated Fund. What was offered by the RBI was ``credit'' to the tune of Rs. 120 crores on which interest was payable. Compared to this, Rs. 30 crores was utilised by AP Civil Supplies Corporation and Rs. 10 crores by MARKFED, both for procurement.

Earlier, acrimonious exchanges over procedural wrangles between TDP and the Congress-I members stalled the business for nearly an hour.

The Chief Minister was interrupted repeatedly from reading a statement on `Neeru Meeru' by Congress-I members, who maintained that it was against the rules and conventions. But the ruling party members defended the Chief Minister saying it was well within both. Initially, Dr. M. V. Mysoora Reddy of the Congress- I, raising a point of order, said the Chief Minister was talking on extraneous issues that were not mentioned in the statement which was against convention. The Chief Minister could either make an oral statement or read a prepared one, but not do both. Moreover, they were not informed of it and it was not included in the agenda.

Mr. Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, the Minister for Legislative Affairs, reminded the members that the statement was being read by the Chief Minister only after the Speaker admitted it and there was no need for the Government to inform opposition members.

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Section  : Southern States
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