Ministers statements on paddy procurement run contrary to ground reality: BJP State chief N. Ramchander Rao

BJP State president N. Ramchander Rao alleged that the contradictory statements by the ministers on the volume of paddy procured in the current yasangi season so far exposed the State government’s lack of clarity on the matter.

Speaking to reporters in Karimnagar on Saturday, Mr. Rao said, “Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy claimed that 60 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy was procured across the State so far. But other ministers had put the paddy procurement figure in the range of 40 to 50 lakh LMT.” These claims are not only inconsistent but contrary to the ground reality, he alleged.

Mr. Rao said the BJP’s Rythu Bharosa Yatra highlighted the plight of farmers and brought the ground reality to the attention of the State government for speedy resolution of the paddy procurement issues.

“The State government has created a situation where the farmers were compelled to resort to distress sale of their paddy produce at below the MSP after waiting at the paddy procurement centres for more than a fortnight at several places across the State,” he charged.

He further alleged that the persons at the helm in the Congress dispensation were trying to mislead the farmers by spearheading a misinformation campaign against the Centre.

He demanded that the entire paddy and maize produce still lying at the procurement centres and market yards be purchased forthwith.

He further sought compensation to the farmers hit by unseasonal rains in the State.

Earlier, the State BJP chief addressed a district level training programme for the party cadre as part of ‘Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Prashikshan Mahaabhiyan’ in the town.

BJP State leaders A. Prabhakar Reddy and Devaki Vasudeva Rao, BJP district president G. Krishna Reddy and others were present.