Telangana Government Speeds Up Paddy Procurement Process to Support Farmers

Telangana Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy has directed officials to accelerate the paddy procurement process across the state to ensure timely support for farmers. During a statewide review meeting held through video conference on Sunday, the minister said the government had cultivated nearly 141 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this season and set a target to procure 75 lakh metric tonnes at Minimum Support Price (MSP). The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Commissioner Stephen Ravindra, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers and district collectors.

The minister stated that 8,575 procurement centres have been established across Telangana, through which 51 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have already been procured. The government has reportedly released ₹8,749 crore towards MSP payments to farmers so far. Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to complete procurement of the remaining 8.5 lakh metric tonnes on a war footing before the end of the month. He also warned that strict action would be taken against rice millers or middlemen involved in cheating farmers over grain quality deductions and directed authorities to ensure quick digital entry of procurement data for faster payments to farmers.