Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao alleged that the state govt has not been procuring paddy at procurement centres for the past one month, terming it a complete failure. He said the BRS would stand by farmers across the state until their paddy is purchased.KTR, who visited a paddy procurement centre in Baddenapally of Thangallapalli mandal in Rajanna Sircilla district on Saturday, criticised the govt for not procuring a single grain. He accused the govt of deliberately avoiding procurement to evade paying the bonus along with the minimum support price (MSP). He added that not even 1,000 tonnes of paddy have been purchased in Rajanna Sircilla district so far.KTR said that there is no Rythu Bharosa for farmers, no adequate electricity supply, and that paddy is not being procured on time in the state. He stated that the condition of farmers across the state has become dire. He also pointed out that the promises made by Rahul Gandhi, including extending Rythu Bharosa to tenant farmers and providing Rs 1,000 to farm labourers, have not been fulfilled.He demanded the immediate setting up of procurement centres and allocation of rice mills, and said the MSP should be fixed at Rs 2,350, including a Rs 500 bonus. KTR warned that due to the impact of El Niño, there is a possibility of untimely rains, and if the govt does not procure the paddy immediately, farmers’ produce could get wet. He added that farmers are already forced to purchase tarpaulin sheets at their own expense to protect their grain.“The Congress govt, which claims to be a farmer-friendly govt, has completely deceived them. Such poor administration has not been seen since the formation of Telangana,” he said. KTR warned that if procurement does not begin immediately, the BRS will take to the streets in protest. He added that the party would unite farmers across the state and launch a movement on their issues. KTR said that under the Congress rule, farmers are facing extreme hardships. He added that several promises have been made, but farmers continued to be deceived in every way.
