Govt will procure 90 lakh metric tonnes of paddy, says Telangana minister Uttam Kumar Reddy

Hyderabad: Irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said extensive preparations are underway to procure 90 lakh metric tonnes (MTs) of paddy from the rabi crop.Stating that the state's rabi paddy production was projected to exceed 1.48 crore MTs, he said comprehensive arrangements have been made to handle the bumper harvest efficiently and protect farmers from distress sales."Over 8,251 paddy purchase centres (PPCs) are being opened across all districts, supported by modern infrastructure, adequate storage facilities and logistics. Over 16 crore gunny bags have already been made available to ensure proper storage and movement of procured paddy. Every purchase centre will be placed under the direct supervision of a dedicated officer to monitor daily procurement, quality checks, timely payments and overall transparency," the minister said.He directed officials to ensure hassle-free paddy movement to PPCs, accelerate the opening of all centres and facilitate uninterrupted transport of harvested paddy, directly benefiting farmers. Strict monitoring mechanisms were in place to prevent unauthorised diversion and guarantee minimum support price (MSP) of 2,369 per quintal for common grade and 2,389 per quintal for fine varieties.The minister reiterated that the entire procurement machinery, including logistics, storage, gunny bag distribution and quality monitoring, was being fine-tuned for what could be another record-breaking rabi season. Paddy from other states would not be allowed to the purchase centres in Telangana, he added.The minister asserted that crops were extended irrigation support all through the season, making judicious use of the river water entitlements of the state. He reiterated that there would be no compromise on the river waters due to Telangana. The state has been fighting for the state water entitlements in all fora.