BJP Slams Congress Govt Over Delayed Grain Procurement from Farmers

Hyderabad: BJP Assembly floor leader Aleti Maheshwar Reddy alleged that the Congress government was misleading farmers with false promises of "record procurements" while in reality it had failing to purchase even 17.28 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of the expected 141 LMT of paddy harvest.

"This exposes the government's negligence," Reddy said, pointing to the civil supplies department lapses. Fine paddy farmers were promised Rs.500 bonus, but it was being deducted under vague pretexts of presence of moisture in the grains, he alleged.

Addressing a protest gathering in Nirmal, Reddy said maize farmers faced even graver issues, with millers buying at Rs.1,600 against the support price at Rs.2,400. Thousands of sacks of maize were rotting on roads and yards in Nirmal district due to procurement inaction, Reddy claimed.

Reddy alleged rampant irregularities including loader charges went up to Rs.30 per bag, additional Rs.20 for loading/unloading, and 4-5 kg deductions per bag between procurement centres and rice mills. He said the claimed shortage of 15 lakh gunny bags was unexplained, and this was forcing farmers to buy them at Rs.40-Rs,50 per bag. Digital procurement and weighing systems had collapsed, leading to spoilage of tonnes of grains after 15 days in yards due to unseasonal rains, he said.