Discoloured paddy from Guntur to be procured

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JAN. 13. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has instructed officials to ensure that the entire 60,000 tonnes of discoloured and damaged paddy from Guntur district be procured by the end of January.

Mr. Naidu, who held a review meeting on Saturday in the light of the agitation by farmers and rytu sanghams over the issue, told the officials to offer transportation charges to the millers, who purchased the damaged paddy and convert it into rice.

Meanwhile, the State Government would take up with the Centre the question of procurement of rice from millers by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The Centre would be asked to offer a one-time relaxation of specifications for purchase of the damaged rice to help the farmers out of distress.

The Chief Minister made it clear to the officials that the Government should not be found wanting in helping the farmers of the district who were restive.

On the first day of Janmabhoomi (January 2), farmers of the district staged protest rallies and a district bandh was observed, demanding that the entire discoloured paddy be purchased.

The Minister for Technical Education, Mr. A. Rajendra Prasad, who hails from the district, also represented the problem to the Chief Minister following which the review meeting was held. It was decided that rice millers be persuaded to lift the paddy from the farmers with the offer of possible incentives. The procurement of paddy and rice in the State was also reviewed at the meeting. The Commissioner of Civil Supplies, Mr. H.S. Brahma, said the procurement of rice picked up and 24 lakh tonnes of rice was lifted by the FCI as against 14 lakh tonnes during the corresponding period last year.

The meeting was attended by the Lok Sabha member, Dr. Ummareddy Venkateswarlu, The Civil Supplies Minister, Dr. N. Janardhan Reddy, Mr. Rajendra Prasad and Mr. Brahma.

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