Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy described paddy procurement as a ‘testing time’ for the government due to the record paddy yield and called on public representatives to ensure smooth procurement operations.
He called on public representatives and officials to play a proactive role to make Telangana’s largest-ever paddy procurement drive a success.
Uttam also stressed adherence to Central guidelines on the paddy’s moisture content and said that farmers must be educated about these standards. Expecting disruptions like unseasonal rains, Uttam directed the Civil Supplies Commissioner, DS Chauhan, to ensure prompt
readiness among officials to tackle problems. “Delays or negligence will not be tolerated under any circumstance,” he warned.
Uttam also called on rice millers to support the government’s efforts, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to backing the milling industry. He cited the Congress government’s recent increase in milling charges – Rs 50 for fine rice and Rs 40 for other grades – and urged millers to cooperate fully. He also emphasised the need for bank guarantees as required by rules to manage operations effectively.
He asked officials to maintain accountability in transporting paddy from procurement centres to mills, so that high-quality rice can be delivered to beneficiaries in Telangana. He said that Sanna paddy, being sensitive to moisture, could suffer discolouration or an increase in broken grains. So procurement centres must be equipped with dryers and cleaners to maintain quality, he said.
Public representatives were encouraged to coordinate closely with Collectors to establish procurement centres as needed. He assured that the government would meet the costs of providing additional centres.
He said that PPCs have been set up to ensure accurate classification between fine and coarse paddy, with agriculture officers certifying produce according to established regulations. As prescribed by the Centre, Fair Average Quality (FAQ) norms must be strictly followed, he added.
He also called for vigilance to prevent rice from other states from entering Telangana which would harm local farmers.
Due to stringent quality measures, Telangana rice is now in demand in states like Bihar and West Bengal. In addition, two to three countries have also expressed interest in purchasing Telangana rice on a government-to-government basis, with one country resuming business with Telangana after a decade.
The Civil Supplies Department has shown marked improvement in the last 10 months and has managed to reduce its loan burden by Rs 11,537.40 crore, he said.
Addressing a video conference on Tuesday, Uttam Kumar Reddy, joined by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, Ministers Tummala Nageshwara Rao, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and others, highlighted Telangana’s record-breaking paddy harvest.
An allocation of Rs 30,000 crore has been provided, and Rs 20,000 crore has already been released for immediate procurement.
“The Rs 500 per quintal bonus for fine paddy is a historic initiative. This is the first time in India that fine paddy cultivators will get this bonus in addition to MSP,” Uttam stated.
He added that starting January 2025, the Congress government would distribute fine rice to all ration card holders across Telangana in another landmark move in the country’s history.
He urged procurement officials to be vigilant and encouraged public representatives to conduct field visits to support and inform farmers. “We are a pro-farmer government committed to supporting our farmers. There will be no compromise in the procurement process,” he asserted.
